Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz has taken up the role of Commander Eurocorps (COMEC). The Change of Command ceremony, at which Margarita Robles, the Spanish Minister of Defense, was present, took place on Thursday, the 18th of September in the hugely symbolic Cathedral Square of Strasbourg.
Eurocorps Welcomes Its 18th Commanding General
The handover from Polish Lieutenant General Piotr A. Błazeusz, who has held the position since April 2024, to Lieutenant General Lázaro further emphasizes the commitment of Spain to European security and defense. The new COMEC, who boasts extensive experience in international operations and led the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) between 2022 and 2025, is the fourth Spanish Lieutenant General to hold this position since Eurocorps’ inception in 1992.
Eurocorps, a multinational headquarters staffed by military personnel from six Framework Nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, and Spain) and five Associated Nations (Austria, Greece, Italy, Romania, and Turkey), is a fundamental pillar of European defense and stands out for its interoperability and key role in international operations. Spain, which contributes 20% of the personnel, reaffirms its commitment to multinational cooperation and collective security with this new COMEC.
In 2024, Eurocorps played a pivotal role as NATO’s Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) and in 2025 it assumed responsibility as the Force Headquarters for the European Union Battlegroup (EUBG FHQ), demonstrating its flexibility and strategic relevance on the international stage, serving both NATO and the EU.
