Jens Spahn, 46, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrat party (CDU) and its sister Christian Social Union (CSU), resigned from his position on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, following criticism within his own party. The controversy arose after news broke on Thursday that Spahn and his husband had become parents through a surrogate mother in the United States.

Spahn acknowledged the tension in a resignation letter to party colleagues, stating, “Over the past few days, I have come to realise that my personal happiness – starting a family with my husband and becoming a father – is incompatible with my political office.” He also told the German newspaper Bild that he had “wrestled with myself for a long time, including on the issue of surrogacy.”

The revelation sparked criticism from fellow conservatives and accusations of hypocrisy from opposition parties. Chancellor Friedrich Merz described Spahn’s decision to step down as “right and unavoidable.”

This development highlights ongoing tensions within Germany’s conservative coalition regarding personal choices and political roles.

Sources