Jens Spahn, the chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, has resigned amid mounting criticism over his decision to become a father through a surrogate mother in the United States. In a letter to his group, Spahn informed Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder of his departure, stating that his personal happiness—starting a family with his husband—was no longer compatible with his political office.
“The balancing act between my private decision to have a child via surrogacy and the understandable expectation of me as leader of our group has become greater than I had anticipated,” Spahn wrote. He thanked Merz and Söder for their trust, and praised his deputy Alexander Hoffmann and the entire leadership for their cooperation. He also acknowledged SPD group leader Matthias Miersch, calling their collaboration “a stabilising anchor for the coalition.”
Merz: Credibility Is the Highest Asset
Chancellor Friedrich Merz described Spahn’s resignation as “the right one” and “unavoidable.” In a statement released on Saturday, Merz said: “Credibility is the highest asset in politics.” According to reports from Bild, Merz had urged Spahn to step down after consulting with several CDU state party leaders earlier that morning. The party’s local branch in Brilon—Merz’s hometown—had already called for Spahn’s resignation in an open letter, arguing that his use of surrogacy abroad contradicted German law and the CDU’s long-standing opposition to the practice.
“Anyone who, as one of our party’s highest representatives, deliberately makes use of options abroad that contradict the value judgements of German law sends a disastrous signal,” the Brilon CDU wrote. The controversy, they added, was undermining the party’s credibility and making local politicians’ work more difficult.
Double Standards and Church Criticism
The debate erupted after Spahn and his husband Daniel Funke announced on Wednesday that they had become parents via a surrogate in the US. Surrogacy is illegal in Germany, and the CDU has consistently opposed its legalisation—a position Spahn himself defended in the past. This inconsistency drew sharp rebukes from church leaders. Ernst-Wilhelm Gohl, regional bishop of the Protestant Church in Württemberg, pointed to German law and accused Spahn of double standards. Catholic bishop Stefan Oster of Passau called the situation “a real scandal,” noting that a prominent CDU politician had consciously violated the law and his party’s fundamental positions on a matter of human dignity.
CDU politician Wolfgang Bosbach also urged Spahn to step down, telling Deutschlandfunk radio: “I hope Jens Spahn spares the Union, and the CDU in particular, a months-long debate over the question of whether he is still the right person to lead the group.” Spahn had indicated in a Bild interview on Friday that he would discuss his future with the parliamentary group in September, but the pressure proved too intense.
Political Fallout and European Context
Spahn’s resignation removes a key figure from the Bundestag’s largest opposition group just ahead of the key state election in Saxony-Anhalt on 8 September. The controversy has also highlighted broader tensions within the CDU over ethical consistency and the limits of personal choice in public office. For a party that has long championed traditional family values, the episode raises questions about how it navigates evolving social norms—especially as surrogacy remains a contentious issue across Europe, with laws varying widely from the UK to Greece to Ukraine.
The resignation comes as Merz seeks to consolidate his leadership and strengthen Franco-German defence ties, as seen in recent meetings with President Macron in Cologne. The CDU’s credibility, already tested by internal divisions, now faces further scrutiny. Whether Spahn’s departure will quell the debate or open new fissures remains to be seen.
