CDU faces challenges in forming government after German elections

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian partner, the Christian Social Union (CSU), won about 28.5% of the votes in the recent German elections. This places them first, but they face challenges forming a government due to the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which received around 20.8%. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) fell to about 16.5%, while the Green Party garnered approximately 11.7%. Several smaller parties are at risk of not meeting the 5% threshold to remain in parliament. The CDU/CSU is unlikely to form a coalition with the AfD, despite acknowledging their immigration reform proposals. The CDU/CSU may need to partner with the SPD to create a "Grand Coalition," a move that has been criticized for maintaining the status quo. AfD members expressed mixed feelings about their gains, noting that they still lack significant parliamentary control.