(de-news.net) – Following mounting criticism over his decision to use a surrogate in the USA to become a father—a choice that contrasted with his long-standing opposition to legalizing surrogacy in Germany—Jens Spahn has resigned as chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group on Saturday. His departure follows several days of political pressure, as prominent members of the Christian Democratic Union publicly argued that he could no longer credibly remain in the post amid the intensifying controversy.
In a letter to fellow lawmakers, Spahn said the conflict between his personal decision to start a family through surrogacy and the expectations associated with leading the conservative bloc in the German Bundestag had become greater than he had anticipated. He also said the increasingly uncompromising tone of the public debate had prompted profound reflection and ultimately convinced him that his family had to take precedence over his political office. Before notifying members of the parliamentary group, Spahn informed Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who also leads the CDU, as well as CSU chairman Markus Söder of his decision to step down.
Political pressure intensified after senior CDU figures questioned whether public trust could be sustained if elected officials appeared to be held to different standards than those they had publicly advocated. The controversy centered on the fact that surrogacy remains prohibited under German law and that both the CDU and Spahn himself had consistently opposed proposals to legalize the practice. Against that backdrop, critics argued that the apparent inconsistency between Spahn’s personal decision and his previous political position had undermined his credibility as parliamentary leader.
Merz described the resignation as both the correct and unavoidable course of action, arguing that credibility remained the most important asset in political life. He thanked Spahn for helping guide the CDU/CSU parliamentary group from opposition into government and for playing a significant role in advancing the governing coalition’s recent reform agenda. Merz, who is also president of the CDU, added that, in consultation with Söder, he would nominate a successor after coordinating the timetable and formal selection process with the relevant party and parliamentary bodies, leaving the conservative alliance to begin the process of selecting new leadership for its parliamentary group in the Bundestag.
