German CDU leader Jens Spahn resigns over surrogacy controversy

Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Germany's conservative CDU/CSU bloc, resigned on Saturday after facing intense backlash for using a surrogate mother in the United States to become a parent. Surrogacy is banned in Germany, and Spahn's own party reaffirmed its opposition in February 2026, while the former health minister had previously spoken out against the practice. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the resignation 'right and unavoidable,' stating that 'credibility is the highest asset in politics' Source: dwnews.

The controversy

Spahn and his husband Daniel Funke announced the birth of their son in an interview with Bild newspaper, where Spahn said, 'Georg is our greatest joy. This feeling is almost impossible to put into words' Source: theguardian. The news immediately drew accusations of hypocrisy, as Spahn had opposed liberalizing surrogacy laws when he was health minister and had written in 2015 that as a gay man and Christian he found the idea of a 'rented womb' difficult Source: dwnews.

Party reaction

Several CDU figures called for his resignation, including Daniel Peters, leader of the party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, who said Spahn's actions were 'completely unacceptable' Source: theguardian. The CDU branch in Brilon, Merz's hometown, published an open letter demanding he step down, arguing that using surrogacy abroad 'contradicts the value judgements of German law' Source: euronewsen. Spahn initially sought to defend his decision, saying he had 'wrestled with myself for a long time' Source: aljazeera, but ultimately stepped down, stating his personal happiness was 'incompatible with my political office' Source: bbc.