The British Telegraph is hopeful that Germany’s Friedrich Merz can fill Europe’s leadership void. Its April 10 article “Friedrich Merz: The Man Europe Has Been Waiting For” cites Merz’s haste in finalizing coalition negotiations in six weeks by “banning alcohol at working dinners and imposing strict schoolmaster-style timetables for the negotiations” along with his promises of major migration reforms, tax breaks for the struggling car industry and major militarization as signs of an emerging capable leader.

Europe is hopeful it has found its new strongman, but can Merz fill that void?

At a press conference on April 9, Merz presented the new coalition agreement and noted: “It is a strong and clear signal to our citizens, and to Europe, that Germany is getting a strong and capable government.”

A European envoy said in Berlin: “Both Paris and London should realize Berlin is now ready to move; it will no longer make itself dependent on D.C., but also not on Paris or London.”

“The pace of his work so far is sure to please allies in Europe, which has something of a leadership deficit,” the Telegraph wrote.

With the past forgotten, Germany has been forgiven for inflicting great evil on the Continent. The leadership Europe once abhorred is now welcomed. But some hurdles remain.

“At the same time, Mr. Merz faces a challenge at home, this new vision for Germany will need ongoing support from the public, which remains deeply skeptical of the idea that they should play a leading defense role in Europe, largely because of the country’s Nazi past,” the Telegraph commented.

Our Western world doesn’t share the same skepticism. It can’t wait for Germany to lay off the last remaining restraints that were forced on it after World War ii. The Telegraph continued:

EU leaders may well have been delighted by the new chancellor’s historic gambit on defense. But it means many are looking to Germany as the piggy bank for what Mr. Merz himself described as a “new European defense community.” …

German officials have also been slightly taken aback by the wave of positive publicity and enthusiasm in Europe that followed Mr. Merz’s announcement of the defense reforms. … Mr. Merz’s team was acutely aware that EU leaders wanted to see him installed as chancellor as soon as possible. …

There are hopes that an assertive German chancellor at the helm of what is still the Continent’s richest economy can be the game changer Europe needs. Mr. Merz has potential to be potentially the most impressive German leader on defense in decades ….

In an amazing and frightening twist of history, the antagonist of World War ii is now seen as the defender of Europe.

The Telegraph is not concerned that Merz broke his campaign promise not to suspend the debt brake, nor that his promise to send the powerful Taurus missiles to Ukraine didn’t make it into the coalition agreement, nor that the coalition agreement seeks to censor free speech. It isn’t worried about a dominant Germany forcing its will on the rest of Europe. Its only worry is whether Merz can fill Europe’s growing leadership vacuum.

This is a drastic change from the last two decades of reluctant and weak German leadership. It is likely Merz will help catapult Germany to dominate the European continent.

However, Merz still faces political opposition. The far right and far left have a blocking minority in the German parliament, meaning any constitutional changes are impossible without them. He will also face difficulties governing with the Social Democrats, a party he criticized heavily in the election campaign. He also needs to fear voter backlash in upcoming state elections. Then there is the difficulty of getting Europe’s east and west, north and south, rich and poor to agree on anything of value.

For Europe to transform, it will take someone who is free of all those democratic burdens. It will take a leader who can dictate the course of Europe.

The Bible reveals in Revelation 17 that a union of 10 kings, or authoritarian leaders, will rise and give their power to an overarching leader. This leader, as the late Herbert W. Armstrong often noted, will act as supreme dictator. The book of Daniel describes this leader in detail. As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in “After Trump’s Victory, Watch Germany”:

Prophecies throughout the Bible warn that a European strongman will appear soon. The book of Daniel gives many details on how he will come to power. That book is only for the end time. It has never been understood prior to our day. In fact, at the conclusion of this vision, Daniel said he didn’t understand it. He was explicitly told, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end …. Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4, 9). Daniel 8:19 highlights “the last end”—that is, the last end of the end time.

This is the time that we are living in now, and Europe is longing for exactly such a leader. However, it doesn’t understand what it is wishing for.

The question is, will Merz fulfill these prophecies? The Trumpet believes that although he may play a role in this rising empire, he will likely not be the prophesied overarching emperor.

The Trumpet has long watched for another individual to step into this role. To learn more, read “After Trump’s Victory, Watch Germany.”