<!--IssueSummary start--> <details> <summary> Everyone can contribute. [Help move this issue forward](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/developer-relations/contributor-success/community-contributors-workflows/#contributor-links) while earning points, leveling up and collecting rewards. </summary> - [Close this issue](https://contributors.gitlab.com/manage-issue?action=close&projectId=278964&issueIid=8246) </details> <!--IssueSummary end--> GitLab offers a number of powerful controls to protect the default branch (usually `master` or `main`), allowing project maintainers to prevent anyone from pushing directly to the default branch, and requiring increasingly string merge request approvals. However, these controls can be circumvented by project maintainers/owners and can't be enforced by organization/instance administrators who want ensure a minimum level of security on their instances. GitLab should allow **group owners** to configure a minimum level of branch protection for the default branch. ### Proposal Add the ability for **group owners** to configure, at the group-level the minimum number of approvals required for merge requests on the default branch |Group Settings > Repository (Current)|Group Settings > Repository (Proposed)| |---|---| ||| |Specifying a number greater than 0 creates a minimum when adding an approval rule| |---| |||