BERLIN — Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Germany's conservative CDU/CSU bloc, resigned after mounting pressure over his decision to have a child through a surrogate mother in the United States, a move that conflicted with his party's longstanding opposition to surrogacy.
Spahn, 46, informed members of the parliamentary group in a resignation letter that he had also notified Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and CSU leader Markus Söder of his decision.
"Over the past few days, I have come to realise that my personal happiness — starting a family with my husband and becoming a father — is incompatible with my political office," Spahn wrote in the letter, according to Reuters.
The resignation followed days of criticism from within the CDU after Spahn and his husband announced the birth of their son through a surrogate in the United States. While German law prohibits surrogacy arrangements within the country, raising a child born through a surrogate abroad is not illegal.
The controversy centered on the apparent contradiction between Spahn's personal decision and the CDU's official policy. The party reaffirmed its support for maintaining Germany's ban on surrogacy at its national conference in February, prompting several party members to question whether Spahn could continue leading the parliamentary group.
Merz said Spahn's resignation was "the right" and "unavoidable" decision, stressing that credibility was essential in public office, according to statements reported by multiple media outlets.
Spahn, a former federal health minister and one of the CDU's most prominent politicians, thanked Merz, Söder and colleagues in the parliamentary group for their confidence and cooperation. He also said working with coalition partners had helped provide stability in government.
The episode has renewed debate in Germany over surrogacy, which remains prohibited under national law and continues to divide political parties and ethics experts. Several other European countries, including France, Spain and Italy, also maintain restrictions or bans on the practice.
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group is expected to begin the process of selecting a new leader following Spahn's resignation. No successor had been officially announced as of July 20.
