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Senior Merz ally resigns after coming under pressure in Germany over surrogate baby

Pressure mounted after Spahn and his husband became parents through a surrogate mother, with CDU critics calling the move incompatible with the party's ban.

  • Jens Spahn resigned as Chairman of The CDU and CSU parliamentary group after having a baby via a surrogate in the United States, conflicting with his party's opposition to Surrogacy.
  • While Surrogacy is banned in Germany, it remains legal for Germans to parent children born via surrogates abroad. The CDU and CSU reaffirmed opposition to Surrogacy during a party conference in February.
  • "I wrestled with myself for a long time, including on the subject of Surrogacy. I was torn for a long time," Spahn told the Bild on Friday. Regional party head Daniel Peters argued Spahn was unfit to lead.
  • In his resignation letter, Spahn wrote that personal happiness as a father is "incompatible with my political office." He confirmed he would discuss his position with members of his parliamentary group.
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated the story affects many people "in all its dimensions — human, legal, social and ethical," adding he sees no reason for law changes. Strict Surrogacy prohibitions also exist in France, Spain, and under Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government.
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Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of the Christian Democrats in Germany, resigned after using a surrogate mother to become a father, a practice banned in Germany and which he himself had criticized in the past. Article The parliamentary leader of the Christian Democrats in Germany resigned after using a surrogate mother to become a parent. Practice is banned in Germany first appears on Romania TV.

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noz.de broke the news in Osnabrück, Germany on Friday, July 17, 2026.
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