Czech Republic’s New Strongman: Yet Another King Rising?

Andrej Babiš’s anti-establishment party, ano, won the Czech Republic’s election October 22 with almost 30 percent of the vote. His nearest rival won only 11 percent.

Babiš, 63, is now in line to become the country’s next prime minister. He is the country’s second-richest man. His resignation as finance minister earlier this year, because of suspected tax fraud, did not stop the Czechs from voting him in as their new leader in a landslide victory. This charismatic man is predicted to be a breath of fresh air for Eastern Europe.

Babiš’s anti-establishment party ano means “yes” in the Czech language and also serves as an acronym for Action of Dissatisfied Citizens. The party was established in 2011 and became the second-strongest party in the governing coalition in 2013. Fast forward to 2017, and you have another “political earthquake” in Europe. The ano won 29.7 percent of votes while the party that previously held the majority, the Czech Social Democratic Party, won only 7 percent.

Babiš’s anti-establishment image was a major reason for his success. Although he was part of the government, Spiegel Online wrote that “Babiš completed a masterwork of presenting himself … as the fighter against the entire Czech establishment” (Trumpet translation throughout).

Babiš, who has an estimated net worth of €3.5 billion (us$4.1 billion), is not only one of the country’s most successful businessmen—owning a conglomerate of 230 firms including an Internet news portal, major newspapers, radio stations and television channels—but is also now the most powerful man in the Czech Republic government. While some call him a threat to democracy, he sees himself as the country’s only hope.

Babiš presented voters with a vision of a stronger, more assertive country, one he hopes will play a much bigger role in the world.

The former finance minister has often been compared to United States President Donald Trump and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. He is not afraid to strongly criticize the European establishment.

Babiš gained notoriety for criticizing the European Union. But he is not the great threat to the EU that many think. He does not want the Czech Republic to leave the EU, and he strongly favors a common European security policy and the free movement of persons, goods and capital within the EU. But in other areas, he wants some radical changes.

This strong skeptic of the euro and refugees has some common opinions with another rising star in the EU: Austrian leader Sebastian Kurz. Thus the gap with the rest of the core European nations might be bridged. Kurz has already proclaimed himself as the intermediator between the so-called Visegrád nations (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic) and the rest of Europe. (To learn more about the role Kurz might play in the future, read our article “Austria’s New King.”)

Babiš has sought stronger unity with Austria, claiming that he and Kurz share the same views on the refugee crisis. “The Visegrád Group needs more allies; we need Austria and other countries, in the Balkans, Slovenia, Croatia or maybe even others,” Babiš said. With this close cooperation, Babiš hopes to stop Angela Merkel’s refugee policy.

Babiš and Kurz also favor more trade with Russia and a deviation from the current sanctions.

Based on Austria’s historic role and various prophecies in the Bible, the late Herbert W. Armstrong predicted that Austria would play a crucial role in uniting Eastern and Western Europe. Daniel 2 contains a long-range prophecy that forecasts the four major empires of the world that would exist from Daniel’s time until the return of Jesus Christ. The final world-ruling empire—the Roman Empire—would be resurrected many times, according to the prophecy. This prophecy uses the image of a fearsome statue that stood on two legs: The legs picture two regions with two capitals. The Roman Empire was divided in precisely this way, with its Western capital in Rome and its Eastern capital in Constantinople. The final resurrection of that empire will also have two major parts—with five nations in the West and five in the East—pictured by the statue’s 10 toes.

In a co-worker letter dated Aug. 27, 1980, Mr. Armstrong mentioned that Czechoslovakia (which divided into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) might be part of the 10 nations described in Daniel 2:

Will Poland free itself from Soviet domination and join with Yugoslavia, Romania and possibly Czechoslovakia—and with Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Austria—in a resurrected medieval “Holy Roman Empire” to dominate Europe and equal the ussr and the U.S.A. in world power?

A prophecy in Revelation 17 describes 10 kings rising in Europe who will be of one mind and gain power at approximately the same time: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (verses 12-13).

The striking similarities Babiš shares with Kurz give us an insight into the fulfillment of this prophecy. Mr. Armstrong referred to these kings as dictators. Isn’t it interesting that political analysts warn of a loss of democracy when talking about the rise of Babiš and Kurz?

Just the fact that we are seeing a strongman rise in one of the most prosperous East European countries who is also inclined to ally himself with Austria should cause us to take a closer look at Andrej Babiš.

Time will tell if Babiš will be one of the 10 kings in Eastern Europe. His charismatic appearance, his shared vision with Kurz, and his incredible success and power all indicate that he already has what it takes to be such a king. To learn more about the 10 kings that are currently rising in Europe, listen to executive editor Stephen Flurry’s Trumpet Daily Radio Show “Germany and the Ten Kings.”

https://soundcloud.com/trumpetdaily/germany-and-the-ten-kings