The Chadian government stated in a statement that it has ordered German Ambassador Gordon Kricke to leave the country within 48 hours. Sources indicated that this decision was driven by his remarks regarding the delay in Chad's transition to civilian rule following the 2021 coup.
Reuters reported today, Saturday, that two sources in the Chadian government said Ambassador Kricke criticized the postponement of elections after the coup, as well as a ruling last year that would allow interim military leader Mahamat Idriss Déby to run in the 2024 elections. The German Foreign Ministry has not commented on Kricke's expulsion, but a source familiar with the ministry's assessment of the situation said that this move is "completely incomprehensible," and that the ministry is in contact with Chadian authorities.
Initially, the military leaders in the Central African country had promised an 18-month transitional period before elections when they appointed Déby as interim president following the death of his father, President Idriss Déby, on the battlefield during clashes with rebels, ending decades of authoritarian rule. However, the military council extended the timeline last year by another two years, delaying elections until October 2024, which sparked protests that resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians and raised concerns among regional powers and the United States, which warned against the extension of military rule.
