CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn resigns over surrogacy
The resignation of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s top legislative ally over a surrogacy scandal forces Germany’s ruling conservatives to replace a key power broker, creating unwelcome political uncertainty in Europe's largest economy.
Jens Spahn stepped down on Saturday as the parliamentary leader of Germany’s ruling conservative bloc in the Bundestag, succumbing to a growing controversy over his decision to have a child via a surrogate in the United States. The departure, requested by Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats (CDU), removes a central legislative operator from Berlin’s governing machinery. Spahn, 45, remains a member of parliament but leaves the leadership post just months after securing re-election with 85% of the vote.
The scandal underscores a deep legal fault line in German politics, as commercial surrogacy is banned domestically and the CDU consistently votes to uphold that prohibition. When Spahn and his husband, Daniel Funke, announced the birth of their child on social media earlier this week, politicians from across the spectrum immediately accused him of hypocrisy. "In recent days, I have come to realize that my personal happiness in starting a family with my husband and becoming a father is incompatible with my political office," Spahn said.
For the rest of Europe, the immediate concern is the impact on German political stability, given the country's role as the continent's economic anchor. The parliamentary group chair acts as the primary legislative enforcer responsible for ensuring the government's bills pass, a role Spahn held until his sudden exit forced Merz into immediate succession talks. Merz must now negotiate a replacement with Markus Söder, the leader of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), a process that risks delaying critical fiscal and economic legislation.
Merz acknowledged the urgency, calling Spahn’s resignation "unavoidable" and the "right" decision. “The procedure and timeline will now be coordinated with the party and parliamentary group committees," the chancellor said. While Spahn faces no legal jeopardy—German law only prohibits arranging a surrogate within the country, not raising a child born to one abroad—the political calculus left him with no viable path forward.
The controversy caps a difficult period for the one-time conservative rising star. Spahn previously survived a high-profile investigation into his handling of public funds during his tenure as health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, an inquiry state prosecutors dropped in March. His attempt to defend the surrogacy decision in a Friday podcast, where he said he had "wrestled with myself for a long time, including on the issue of surrogacy," ultimately failed to halt his political downfall.
