Dear subscriber,
Belgium set a new world record on
Oct. 11, 2011. On that day, the nation finally formed a government after 589
days of coalition negotiations, the longest-ever delay for a modern developed
nation.
The Netherlands is heading for a similarly embarrassing record.
The nation held elections on March 15, and now, after its longest coalition
negotiations in 40 years, politicians have still not formed a government. If
they do not form a government by October 9, they will become responsible for the
longest coalition negotiations in their nation’s history.
After Germany
held its federal election last weekend, it could be joining the competition.
Yesterday, Spiegel Online reported that the German government does not expect to
have its cabinet settled before the end of the year. Spiegel also said that the
government is preparing to extend its overseas military missions by three
months. The government would ordinarily review these missions in December: The
extension implies that officials do not believe that a coalition will be ready
before then.
If coalition negotiations do extend into 2018, they will
become the longest in German history.
Germany is not Belgium. It is the
leading nation of Europe—and it could spend the next few months with no real
leadership.
Look at all the shocking news events we have seen already
this year. What more is coming? And how will Germany cope with no
leadership?
I do not envy Angela Merkel’s job over the next few
months.
Her coalition would include her party—the Christian Democratic
Union, her sister party—the Christian Social Union (CSU), the pro-immigration
and environmentalist Green Party, and the pro-business Free Democratic Party
(FDP).
These parties directly contradict each other.
During the
election campaign, the leader of the Green Party said: “The Greens won’t enter
any coalition that doesn’t initiate the end of the combustion engine.”
Meanwhile, the leader of the FDP said, “A witch hunt has been started against
diesel and the whole car industry.”
The Greens campaigned for more
environmental regulations; the FDP called for fewer. The Greens promised to
raise taxes; the FDP promised to lower them.
“The Greens and the FDP
hurled invective at each other through the election,” wrote Ambrose
Evans-Pritchard in the Telegraph. “It may take months for Ms. Merkel to
bind these ideological foes together, if it can be done at all.” He quoted
Baader Bank’s Robert Halver as saying, “It is easier to herd a sack of
mosquitoes.”
Meanwhile the CSU is under heavy pressure to shift right.
The party wants to cap immigration, and it wants to stop migrants who have
already arrived in Germany from bringing their family members over to join them.
But the Green Party has said these two issues are red lines. It refuses to join
the government unless it promises not to cap migrants and promises
to allow immigrant family members in, which would result in tens of
thousands or hundreds of thousands of additional migrants. It is very hard to
imagine the CSU agreeing to these demands, but most Green Party voters said they
would rather their party stay out of government than compromise on these
issues.
Even if Chancellor Merkel glues this coalition together, it won’t
be a strong one. “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” the Bible says.
This coalition would certainly be a divided house.
And this situation has
ramifications far beyond Germany.
Trumpet editor in chief Gerald
Flurry has often warned that weak German leadership would pave the way for a
strong leader to rise in European politics. For example, in a 2009 Key of
David program, he said that this leader could “perhaps take advantage of a
weak coalition.”
Why?
The Bible has specific, dramatic prophecies
about a leader who will soon emerge in Europe. It describes how he will rule,
what he will do, and even how he will come to power. It is remarkable to look at
Germany’s tumultuous election and grueling coalition process and realize that
these events could lead directly to the rise of this man!
I talked about
this in more detail during today’s
Trumpet Daily Radio Show. Our free booklet A
Strong German Leader Is Imminent goes through these prophecies and
gives you the background you need to understand German politics in the weeks and
months ahead. It explains the Bible prophecies revealing how this man will come
to power, and it shows how he will affect you. This man’s rise leads to
some dark times ahead, but this booklet also points you to the hope
beyond.
As always, we will be delighted to send you a free copy. Just
click reply and supply us with your name and address.
Best
Regards,
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Richard
Palmer
Assistant Managing
Editor, theTrumpet.com
P.S. Like this newsletter? We
think you'll love our monthly print magazine, the Philadelphia Trumpet,
which has more insight, analysis and commentary on world events. Simply
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This
Week:
Five Events You Need to Know
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Puerto Rico Devastated
After Hurricane Maria
Two
weeks after Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean, including the United States
territory of Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria dealt an even stronger blow to the the
region and the island. Maria was the strongest storm to strike Puerto Rico in
almost 90 years. It killed about a dozen people, obliterated vegetation, ruined
buildings and power grids, polluted water supplies, and bankrupted the island
even further.
Survivors have reportedly been left with a
“postapocalyptic” feeling.
Will “natural” disasters end with a revision of
environmental policies, or will they end supernaturally, as God promises in the
Bible?
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The Aftermath of a German
Election 'Earthquake'
Germany’s
September 24 election was a “political earthquake,” according to Germany’s
bestselling newspaper, Bild. The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)
entered parliament as the third-largest party in government. This is the first
time since World War II that the AfD or any far-right party has entered
parliament. Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democrats
suffered their worst defeats in postwar history.
Germany
is now facing a crisis that will dramatically change German and European
politics—and fulfill Bible
prophecy.
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Is the Middle East Ready
for an Independent Kurdistan?
On
September 25, 92 percent of Kurds in Iraq voted for independence and exasperated
nations such as the United States, Britain, Germany and Saudi Arabia. But the
vote enraged nations such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria. The aftereffects of
the Kurdish independence referendum could further destabilize a region that is
already embroiled in bloody struggles for independence and civil
wars. |
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Japan Will Want a
Strongman for the Time Ahead
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō
Abe announced on September 25 that he would call a snap election for October 22,
one year earlier than regularly scheduled.
The Times of London
reported, “Nationalism is not normally a vote-winner in Japan, which remains
broadly pacifist. But Mr. Abe will be hoping the trauma wrought by dawn sirens
warning children of [North Korean] missiles passing overhead will be enough to
buy him another term as leader of the world’s third-biggest
economy.”
“I’ll demonstrate strong
leadership and stand at the forefront to face a national crisis,” declared Abe.
“This is my responsibility as a leader and my mission as prime minister.” That
declaration is significant, given that Japan is prophesied to be part of the
“kings of the east,” a powerful conglomerate of nations that band together in a
time of
crisis.
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Is Mexico a Failed
State?
About 12,500 Mexicans were murdered during the first
half of the year, a toll of more than 2,000 victims per month. The International
Institute for Strategic Studies says this makes Mexico more violent than the war
zones in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. If this rate of carnage continues, Mexico
will suffer its bloodiest year in two decades.
An
estimated 55 percent of all Mexican homicides are related to drug trafficking,
and more than 100,000 drug traffickers have committed these murders. These
criminals are sponsored primarily, albeit indirectly, by the 24.6 million drug
users in the
U.S.
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| Video: "A Secret Whirlwind Destroys
Iran" Iran is focused on America and the Jewish nation of
Israel, unaware that a rising German-led superpower already has it
surrounded. |
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Posts