Part 4/7:
The election results pose a critical challenge for smaller parties, particularly the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the BSW, which barely received 4.97% of the vote. Under German electoral rules, parties must obtain at least 5% to secure representation in the Bundestag (German Parliament). If the BSW's result holds, it could result in the party being completely excluded from parliamentary representation, having significant implications for their future.
This absence of representation from these smaller parties could shift the balance of power among the larger parties. Without the need to share seats with smaller factions, the CDU and SPD could theoretically form a stable government, raising questions about potential coalitions.