For years, Europe hailed itself as a beacon for democracy and a refuge for migrants. But these two ideals are now coming to a catastrophic clash. Are we witnessing the end of a liberal democratic Europe? A look at German politics reveals the answer.

Less than one third of Germans (32 percent) want their current government of Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats to continue until the next regular elections in 2025, according to a November 9 DeutschlandTrend survey. As many as 41 percent are calling for new elections. Another 16 percent want a coalition change that involves the Social Democratic Party and Christian Democratic Union—the very coalition so many Germans tired of in the last eight years of former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s reign.

These are shocking numbers for a people that usually yearns for stability. Germany elected Merkel four times in a row for a total of 16 years. Now it wants to get rid of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government after just two years.

One of its biggest concerns is migration.

This trend is pushing European parties to the right (read “Europe’s Altered Personality”). It is also causing an existential crisis in Europe (read “Why a New Migrant Crisis Could Destroy Europe”). But this change isn’t easy for Germany’s left-wing government.

After a conference with state premiers on November 6, the German government published a paper on a tougher stance on migration. It promised to examine whether the protection status of refugees can be determined in transit or third countries. Additionally, it sought to delay taxpayer handouts, make it easier to deport gang members, and allow for searching migrant homes to establish their identities.

This is a big step for Germany’s most liberal government ever. But many fear that not much will change. Politico wrote:

Olaf Scholz is getting desperate.

With less than two years left in his first term and his government struggling to cope with a more than 70 percent rise in asylum applications so far in 2023, the famously subdued German chancellor has resorted to hyperbole.

“I don’t want to use big words,” a weary Scholz told reporters in the small hours of Tuesday after hammering out an overhaul of asylum rules with regional leaders, “but I think this is a historic moment.”

He may well be proved right, if only because there’s a fair chance history will mark his failure to achieve more significant reforms as the beginning of his political end.

In the meantime, extremes are on the rise.

Germany is currently ruled “haphazardly, shortsightedly and in parts simply incompetently,” Sahra Wagenknecht, former coleader of Germany’s far-left Die Linke party, claimed last month. In response to the “worst government” in history, Wagenknecht announced a new party, which stands for many of her Communist ideals and includes a hard stance on migration.

Polls rate Wagenknecht’s new party at 12 percent and the far-right and immigration party at 18 percent, meaning 30 percent of the population demands a strict handling of migration.

The state of Thuringia exemplifies how Germany is becoming ungovernable. The Alternative für Deutschland is leading at 34 percent in the polls, followed by the Christian Democratic Union (22 percent), Die Linke (20 percent) and the Social Democrats (9 percent). If these results remained the same on election day, the Free Democrats and the Greens, with only 4 percent each, would be thrown out of parliament.

The extremes are becoming the majority. But it could get worse.

Hans-Eckhard Sommer, head of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, wrote a letter on November 3 that reveals the asylum situation is much worse than realized. Bild reported: “State and federal authorities can no longer cope with the wave of migration and are unable to register asylum seekers. The asylum numbers are higher than officially reported!”

Recent protests in support of Hamas terrorists further fueled the debate. Bild wrote on November 6:

Many people in Germany are currently asking themselves this question: How could the government be so blind?

When hundreds of thousands of migrants from Islamist dictatorships come to us, it can come as no surprise to anyone that the Islamist threat is growing here.

Some politicians didn’t want to see the danger. Out of false idealism, they dreamed of a “colorful society.” What they overlooked was that many of those who came to us would rather have a radical theocracy, just as many who were here for a long time became radicalized.

In our January 2019 issue, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:

This is a crucial, historic time for the Continent. Its migrant crisis and financial troubles threaten to explode. Radical Islam is now deeply entrenched and could launch further attacks at any moment. And now, there is no strong leader at the helm. Can you see why we need to watch Germany?

Mr. Flurry highlighted a key prophecy recorded in Daniel 8, which is addressed for the “latter times.” This prophecy reveals the outcome of Europe’s current crisis. It shows that a “king of fierce countenance” will rise (verse 23). This prophecy is explained in detail in our free booklet A Strong German Leader Is Imminent.

Watch Germany closely to see how the topic of migration will bring this leader to power.