Consensus, the Secretary-General, and Article V.. How does NATO make its decisions? | news

In conjunction with the NATO summit in Ankara, questions return about who sets the alliance’s policies, how its decisions are made, and what prevents passing a position opposed by a member state. The answer begins with a rule that has governed NATO since its founding: no majority vote, and no decision without everyone’s approval.

How are decisions made within NATO?

All NATO decisions are taken unanimously, after consultation among member states. There is no vote, and a majority cannot pass a decision rejected by a member state. Rather, consultations continue until a formula is reached that is acceptable to all.

The discussion may sometimes end in disagreement remaining without a collective position being issued. When a “NATO resolution” is announced, it expresses the will of the member states collectively, and not the position of the General Secretariat or a limited group of allies.

Can the Secretary-General make a decision on behalf of the Alliance?

no. The Secretary-General chairs NATO Council meetings, manages consultations, and helps bring positions closer together. It facilitates the decision-making process, but it cannot impose it on member states, as the final say rests with the states represented in the Council.

Who has the highest political power?

The North Atlantic Council is the main political decision-making body and is the supreme authority in the Alliance’s network of committees. It includes representatives of all member states and meets at the level of permanent ambassadors, foreign and defense ministers, or heads of state and government during summits.

The status or validity of the decision does not differ depending on the level of the meeting. What the ambassadors approve has the same status as a decision issued by ministers or leaders. As for the relevant committees and leaders, they prepare reports, plans and recommendations on which the Council relies in its discussions.

Who sets the alliance’s priorities?

Member states define major trends through documents approved by their leaders, the most important of which is the “Strategic Concept.”

The “2022 Concept” identified 3 core tasks for NATO: deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.

These trends are transformed into practical requirements through the defense planning process, which determines the military and non-military capabilities that the alliance needs, and then divides the requirements among the allies in the form of “capability goals,” according to the principle of fair burden sharing.

The Defense Policy and Planning Committee reviews political direction and coordinates planning activities, while the two Strategic Commands define capability requirements, led by the Alliance Transformation Command.

After consultation with countries, the goal packages are submitted to the North Atlantic Council and then to the Ministers of Defense, for approval and inclusion in national plans.

Who sets the agenda for meetings and summits?

No one party is alone in setting the agenda. The Secretary-General or a representative of any Member State has the right to raise a case before the North Atlantic Council, particularly under Article IV of the Washington Treaty, which allows for consultation when a State considers that its territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.

Before the files reach the Council or the Summit, the relevant committees prepare reports and recommendations and draft statements, and then countries negotiate them before adopting them unanimously.

When will NATO intervene militarily?

In defining its methods of action, the Alliance is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, and if diplomatic efforts fail, it can resort to force necessary to implement crisis management operations.

This is done under the collective defense clause in the Washington Treaty, or by authorization from the United Nations, alone or in cooperation with other countries and organizations. This requires, in all cases, a collective decision by the members.

The strategic concept also stipulates that the Alliance works to prevent crises and respond to them when they could affect the security of its members, while providing capabilities for military and civil operations, combating terrorism, and achieving stability.

Does Article Five oblige all members to send troops?

Article 5 is the core of the NATO Treaty and its most famous clause, and stipulates the principle of “collective defense”: If a member state is exposed to an armed attack, the attack against it shall be considered an attack against the entire Alliance.

But this does not mean that every country is forced to send its armies; The assistance is not necessarily military, as each country decides for itself the measures it deems appropriate to support the attacked ally, according to its capabilities and resources. The commitment to solidarity is collective, but the form of contribution remains a national decision.

Despite the centrality of this article, it has only been activated once in the entire history of the alliance: in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States.

Who identifies threats? Who is the ally?

No party within NATO can decide alone who is the alliance’s enemy. This issue is determined by member states together, through strategic documents that describe the sources of threats and security challenges.

A 2022 NATO Strategic Concept Paper described Russia as the greatest and most direct threat to Allied security, viewed China’s stated ambitions and coercive policies as a challenge to the Alliance’s interests, security and values, and placed “terrorism” in all its forms among the direct threats to the Alliance and its citizens.

An ally, in official NATO usage, is a member state. Acceptance of new members is only possible with the approval of NATO countries.

Is there room for disagreement among members?

Yes. Ambassadors move according to the instructions of their governments, and each country retains its sovereignty and responsibility for its decisions.

Positions may differ regarding a crisis, military participation, or the size of the contribution, but the disputed position does not turn into NATO policy.

There is a limited procedural exception within the defense planning process called “consensus minus one.” When discussing the package of capabilities objectives of a country within the technical committees of the Alliance, that country alone cannot block a decision that would have been unanimously agreed upon by the rest of the members. This formula does not extend to the general political decisions of the Alliance.