German defence minister picks chief of territorial command for military top job

Breuer, currently chief of the military's territorial command, will start on Friday, taking over from Eberhard Zorn who has been in the position since 2018, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement did not give any reasons for the move.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has named Lieutenant General Carsten Breuer as Chief of Defence, the German military's top job, in his first major staff appointment since taking office. Breuer, currently chief of the military's territorial command, will start on Friday, taking over from Eberhard Zorn who has been in the position since 2018, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement did not give any reasons for the move. Pistorius, who took office two months ago, also replaced a secretary of state, one of the highest civilian positions within the defence ministry.

Breuer led the COVID emergency task force at the chancellery in Berlin from 2021 until 2022.