The Chadian government issued a statement ordering the German ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours. The decision was reportedly prompted by the envoy’s criticism of the nation’s slow return to civilian governance after a coup in 2021.
The country’s Communication Ministry announced its decision on Twitter late on Friday, writing, “This decision of the government is driven by the discourteous attitude and the non-respect of diplomatic etiquette.”
On Saturday, two Chadian government officials said that Ambassador Gordon Kricke had criticized the temporary military commander Mahamat Idriss Deby’s eligibility to run in the 2024 elections as well as the delays in convening elections after the coup.
Germany’s foreign ministry did not issue a statement about Kricke’s expulsion, but a source familiar with the ministry’s thinking said the move was “completely inexplicable” and that the ministry was in touch with Chadian officials.
After Deby’s father, President Idriss Deby, was killed on the battlefield by rebels, the military authorities of the Central African nation pledged an 18-month transition to elections. This would have marked the end of decades of autocratic rule.
The junta delayed elections by two years, until October 2024, which sparked demonstrations that resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and alarmed regional countries and the United States, both of whom have cautioned against prolonging military rule.