Shock coursed through France on Monday. The stock market plunged. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, a city that will host the Olympic Games in just over six weeks, said she was "stunned" by an "unsettling" decision. "A thunderbolt," thundered Le Parisien, a daily newspaper, across its front page. For Le Monde, it was "a jump in the void." Raphaël Glucksmann, who guided the revived center-left socialists to third place among French parties in the European vote, accused Mr. Macron of "a dangerous game."

By calling a snap election June 30, President Macron has challenged the people of France as to whether they really want the country to lean right or not. A month from now Mr. Macron may have to serve with Jordan Bardella as his prime minister, the new face of France’s surging right who represents everything he abhors.

What is behind this dramatic political shift in Europe? 

Perspective

Several European nations are currently leaning towards what some call “far-right-wing” politics. Here are some notable examples. It is not surprising that France is making a rightward shift in its political stance. The same is happening in Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Hungary (led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban since 2010); also, Sweden, Finland, Greece and Bulgaria. These Europeans reflect a shift in concerns about immigration, economic policies and national identity, and as voters they are gravitating towards right-wing parties.

As with other Western countries, including the United States, there is a widespread feeling of estrangement from those leading politically who seem out of touch. Political leaders have courted the Green Deal and the Woke movement vote on everything, so much so, it has led to a broad feeling among the grassroots of these countries that those previously voted in must now go. 

Being a right-winger is redefined

What do the protesting Europeans want? They want what is sensible and valued by most people. This is what gained them the “right-wing” label. The same is happening all over the western world. 

Many believe mass migration is hurting their nation’s ability to retain their way of life. There is a sharp rise in the share of people who think it should be a top priority for government to curb immigration. All the core values, which were at one time taken for granted, must be reestablished. This is part of the reason Jordan Bardella has attracted many followers in France. 

“‘Our civilization can die,’ Mr. Bardella told a crowd of more than 5,000 flag-waving supporters this past week, as chants of ‘Jordan! Jordan!’ reverberated around a vast arena in Paris. ‘It can die because it will be submerged in migrants who will have changed our customs, culture and way of life irreversibly’” (Jordan Bardella, the New Face of France’s Surging Right, nytimes.com).

Those protesting believe curbing immigration is a more important priority than climate change. Interestingly, globally 33 percent believe climate change is one of the world’s three main challenges, but only 14 percent say fighting it should be among the top three priorities for their government. 

Farmers have been protesting all over Europe. They believe they are being marginalized by heavy political efforts to court the Green Deal—agriculture must be high on the governmental agenda. A battle has begun over which political party is going to show they care more for farmers in time for the E.U. election. Will the required attention be there to help farmers, once the Parliament seats are allocated? 

Bringing the cost of living down will be another issue the E.U. Parliament must tackle. The Continent is still bouncing back from the fuel cost surge caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This has caused the cost of living to rise dramatically. Energy is one of the most sensitive issues in this election. What Europeans and many Americans desire is not really far-right-wing at all. Farmers don’t want to be regulated so much they can’t carry on the business of farming.

Even in the United States those who hold to biblical values are labeled as being “right-wing.” If you don’t support spending trillions on climate change, you are a climate change denier—a “right-winger.” If you don’t support the LGTBQ movement you are homophobic. If you don’t want your child to be indoctrinated about their sexuality—you are a “right-winger.” The world’s definitions of what is right and wrong have been turned upside down.

Woe to those who call evil good

Isaiah prophesied of our time: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

As the new right rises to power in Europe, will the leaders be able to be balanced in the way they govern? Will they be able to get a handle on the economic duress on people without draconian measures? The danger being, policies could slide so far to the right, conditions could be ripe so that it could make way for a dictator. Interestingly, prophecy indicates a system of government will emerge out of the sea of people of this earth, which is called the Beast in Revelation 13:1. 

If you remember history, Adolf Hitler came into power during economically hard times brought on by the Great Depression. The Great Depression brought the German economy to a halt and further polarized German politics. The United States could no longer buoy up their economy by loans. Hitler and the Nazis used the financial crisis to criticize the ruling government. During this difficult time, the German Communist Party began a campaign that advocated revolution. Business leaders became so concerned that communists would seize the government that they threw their support to the Nazis.

Hitler ran to be president of Germany in 1932, but lost to the incumbent Paul von Hindenburg; however, he was a strong second. The Nazi Party won big taking many seats and becoming the largest party in the Reichstag. Typically, the leading party took the chancellorship. President von Hindenburg did not want Hitler. After several backroom sessions, Hindenburg acquiesced, and on January 30, 1933, he formally appointed Adolf Hitler, as Germany's new chancellor. Although he was chancellor, Hitler was not yet an absolute dictator. He began to become more dictatorial when facing political stalemates with leaders who never had a mind to agree to move things forward to correct national problems. 

A repeat of European history to come?

The end-time ruler described in prophecy might come on the scene during a crisis similar to the time of Adolf Hitler, and the same kind of scenario could transpire. He will be beastlike, and from the beginning, he will have evil intention for the future of Europe and the world. He will rule ruthlessly with absolute authority. In the end, this evil dictator will cause all of the earth to worship him, or they will face the punishment of death (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:15).

This is my Perspective.