Far-Right Parties Continue to Rise in Europe

Recently, far-right parties made significant gains in the Greek elections, obtaining 13 percent of the vote. The New Democracy Party, a center-right party, won the election by aligning with certain far-right policies. It seems European attitudes are shifting to have an appetite for more far-right policies. 

Next door in Italy, Brothers of Italy won the election in September 2022. Brothers of Italy traces its roots to the late fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

In Finland’s recent election, a coalition of four parties formed a new government, with the leading party being the center-right National Coalition Party.

Growing far-right influence in France and Germany

Racial tensions in France erupted after a police officer killed a teenager of North African descent. As a result, many rioted in the streets, burning cars and attacking police. Far-right groups used the riots to fuel anti-immigration sentiments, particularly against Islamic and North African immigrants who have not assimilated into French society.

We could also write about the right-wing grip over Poland and Hungary. But of all the far-right groups, the most alarming is the rapid rise of Germany’s AfD (Alternative for Deutschland), now Germany’s second-largest political party. Germany’s established parties are torn between working with a far-right party, once considered a taboo in German political circles, or losing a place in government as AfD’s popularity continues to rise.

The main reason growing numbers are gravitating to far-right parties is the center and left’s seeming inability to find solutions to problems like the cost of living and the influx of Muslim and North African immigrants. 

Does Bible prophecy shed light on the political direction Europe is heading?

Europe’s political future in the Bible

The book of Daniel prophesied that there would be four successive gentile empires, depicted by four metals that made up a single statue: gold, silver, bronze and iron (Daniel 2:32-40). These empires were historically fulfilled by the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greco-Macedonian and Roman empires, with each empire devouring the one that preceded it.

Verse 44 says, “In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed”—the Kingdom of God that will replace all human governments. The empire ruling “in the days of these kings” is a resurrected Roman Empire (verses 41-45).

The Roman Empire was prophesied to rise and fall 10 times. Daniel also described a beast whose 10 horns depict this (Daniel 7:7, 23-24). History has shown that the Roman Empire has been revived nine times so far. These include:

• Vandals (429-533).
• We are awaiting the final rise of the Roman Empire, which is to come on the scene just before Christ returns. Heruli (476-493).
• Ostrogoths (493-554).
• Justinian (554).
• Charlemagne (800).
• Otto the Great (962).
• Charles V (1520).
• Napoleon (1804).
• Hitler and Mussolini (1930s to 1945).

We are awaiting the final rise of the Roman Empire, which is to come on the scene just before Christ returns. The book of Revelation reveals that the final rise of the beast will be comprised of 10 kings who surrender their power to one central political leader (Revelation 17:12).

 To learn more, read “Who Is the Beast?”

Is Germany Europe’s future? 

Today Germany is the strongest nation in the European Union. Ironically, the European Union was originally set up to constrain Germany from going to war again and to prevent the tide of nationalism from growing again. 

Yet today, Germany has risen to dominate the European Union, and nationalism is rising. Germany will take its historical place, as Kostadin Kostadinov called for, but as the likely head of a future and final resurrection of the Roman Empire. The revived empire will be a war-making machine that will wreak havoc on this earth (Revelation 13:4). Fortunately, Jesus Christ will return to stop it from destroying the earth (Matthew 24:22).

We don’t know exactly how this 10-king confederacy will coalesce as the final revival of the Roman Empire. In the past, there has been a push from other European leaders to create a “two-speed” Europe, where an inner core of European nations integrates faster than the others.

Germany has risen to dominate the European Union, and nationalism is rising. Interestingly, the AfD and other far-right groups have recently changed their messaging from calling for dismantling the European Union to now calling for its reform. The AfD called the European Union a “failed project” and has called for it to be refounded as a “federation of European nations.”

It remains to be seen how the European Union might transform from its current configuration of 27 member nations to the form of 10 kings (nations or groups of nations) in the final resurrection of the Roman Empire. Will it collapse and be replaced by its final form? Will it evolve slowly? Or will it change quickly due to a crisis?   

One of the European Union’s founding fathers, Jean Monnet, famously stated: “Europe will be forged in crises.”  

Bible prophecy does reveal that a crisis will cause the coming revived Roman Empire to invade the Middle East and defeat a power bloc of Muslim and North African nations (Daniel 11:40). (To learn more about the coming war between Europe and a confederation of Middle Eastern and North African nations, read “The King of the North” and “The King of the South.”)

The beast’s aggression and domination of the Middle East will provoke a response from another power bloc from “the east and the north” (verse 44). The Bible also describes an immense army of 200 million men that will “kill a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:14-16). We may be seeing this power bloc forming, with Russia and China drawing ever closer together. 

To learn more, read “Russia and China Continue to Rise and Challenge the West.”

Hope amid despair

But beyond all the doom and gloom is the good news that Jesus Christ is returning to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God (Revelation 11:15). When we see these events happening, we will know that God’s Kingdom is drawing near.

As Christ commanded, we urge our readers to “watch . . . and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

Continue watching and praying!

Date Posted: August 17, 2023