Germany’s Government Is Paralyzed

Since September 24, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to stitch together a coalition government comprised of the Christian Democratic Union (cdu), the Christian Social Union (csu), the Free Democrats and the Greens. How’s it going?

Very badly.

The four parties “disagree about more things than they agree on,” reported Deutsche Welle today. Keep in mind that the talks thus far are merely introductory conversations aimed at laying the groundwork for formal negotiations. The article continued:

These talks are the informal precursor to the official coalition negotiations. In other words: As the chancellor and many other leading politicians had predicted, there is still a long way to go before she can sit at a table with her new cabinet and sign a coalition contract.

As the article outlines, the cdu, csu, Free Democrats and the Greens lock horns on an array of fundamental issues, including the migrant crisis, energy and climate policies, pensions and taxes. The formation of a coalition government, if it happens at all, is not expected for weeks, if not months. It’s almost certain Germany will enter Christmas and the New Year without a new government. What does this mean for Germany, and for Europe?

It means that Germany, as Deutsche Welle noted, “is now outside its political comfort zone.”

This is worrying. Postwar Germany has been remarkably stable politically. Since 1982, Germany has had only three chancellors. The United States has had five presidents in that time; Britain, six prime ministers; and Italy, 15 prime ministers. Even more remarkable: Since the end of World War ii, more than 70 years ago, Germany has had only nine chancellors. That’s an average of eight years per chancellorship. In that time, America has had 12 presidents, six years per presidency; Britain, 15 prime ministers, five years per prime ministership; and Italy, 45 prime ministerships, averaging 1½ years each.

These facts speak to a fundamental truth: Postwar Germany, perhaps more than any other modern nation, is accustomed to political stability and order. So what happens if this stable, dependent political system breaks down? History provides the answer, and it tends not to be pleasant.

The Trumpet has long anticipated the development of a more aggressive, more assertive Germany, and the rise of a strongman in Germany. This expectation is rooted in historical precedent, as well as Bible prophecy. As we have comprehensively explained, prophecies in Isaiah 10, Habakkuk 1, Daniel 8 and 11, among other passages, warn of the end-time emergence of a powerful and imperialistic German nation. If you know history, it doesn’t take much imagination to see the current political paralysis evolving into this sobering reality.