German politician Jens Spahn, a senior ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and parliamentary leader of the CDU/Christian Democrats faction, resigns amid escalating criticism over a surrogacy controversy. Multiple outlets report that Spahn and his husband welcomed a child earlier this week using a surrogate in the United States. The backlash centers on the fact that surrogacy is banned in Germany and that Spahn had previously opposed legalizing the practice.
As scrutiny grows inside his party and governing coalition, Spahn faces pressure that culminates in his resignation. DW, BBC and others describe the decision as linked to a perceived conflict between his personal actions and his prior public stance on surrogacy. Euronews reports that Merz publicly backs the resignation, saying it is the “right” and “unavoidable” step. Other coverage frames the episode as highlighting tensions about credibility and political double standards, though all sources focus on the same core facts: his US surrogacy, the existing German ban, his earlier opposition to legal change, and his subsequent resignation.
