Jens Spahn, a senior German Christian Democrat and ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has resigned from a party leadership role after he and his husband used a surrogate mother in the US, a practice banned in Germany and opposed by his party, the Guardian reported.
Key facts
- Jens Spahn has resigned from a CDU leadership role after using surrogacy to become a parent, the Guardian reported.
- Spahn and his husband, Daniel Funke, used a surrogate mother in the United States.
- Surrogacy is banned in Germany and the CDU is strongly opposed to the practice.
- Spahn had previously criticised 'rented wombs' and refused to relax the ban as health minister in 2020.
- Spahn is described as a key ally of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- The Guardian's reports differed on the exact role Spahn resigned from — one described him as CDU party chair, a later version as parliamentary group leader.
Jens Spahn, a senior German politician and ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has resigned from a leadership role in the Christian Democrat (CDU) party after he and his husband used a surrogate mother to become parents, according to the Guardian.
Surrogacy is banned in Germany and the CDU is, in the Guardian’s words, vehemently opposed to the practice. Spahn himself has criticised what he described as ‘rented wombs’ in the past.
Because surrogacy is not permitted in Germany, Spahn and his husband, Daniel Funke, used a surrogate mother in the United States, the Guardian reported.
As health minister in 2020, Spahn refused to relax Germany’s ban on surrogacy, the Guardian noted.
Reporting on Spahn’s resignation varied on the exact post he stepped down from. An earlier Guardian report described him as resigning as chair of the CDU party, while a later version described him as resigning as parliamentary group leader of the CDU. It is not yet clear from the available sources which is definitive.
In both accounts, Spahn is identified as a senior figure and key ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Why it matters
The resignation involves a senior politician whose personal use of surrogacy stands in contrast to the official position of his party, which opposes a practice that is illegal in Germany. As a close ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spahn's departure from a leadership role is a notable development within the CDU.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Jens Spahn resign?
He resigned from a CDU leadership role after he and his husband used a surrogate mother to become parents, a practice his party strongly opposes and that Spahn had previously criticised.
Is surrogacy legal in Germany?
No. According to the Guardian, surrogacy is banned in Germany, which is why Spahn and his husband used a surrogate mother in the United States.
What was Spahn's past position on surrogacy?
Spahn had criticised 'rented wombs' and, as health minister in 2020, refused to relax Germany's ban on surrogacy.