German CDU leader Jens Spahn resigns over surrogate baby

Jens Spahn, a senior member of Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the parliamentary leader of its conservative bloc, resigned on July 18, 2026, following intense criticism over his use of a surrogate mother in the United States to have a child with his husband. The move placed him at odds with his party's firm opposition to the practice, which is illegal in Germany.

Spahn, 46, announced the birth of his son, Georg, in an interview with the Bild newspaper published on July 15. He described the child as "our greatest joy." The revelation, however, sparked immediate backlash from within his own political ranks, where colleagues accused him of hypocrisy and a glaring double standard. In his resignation letter, Spahn stated that he had come to realize his personal happiness in starting a family was incompatible with his political office.

The controversy stems from Germany's strict laws and the CDU's political stance. Under the 1990 Embryo Protection Act, surrogacy arrangements within Germany are prohibited, with medical practitioners facing potential imprisonment. While it is not illegal for German citizens to have children via surrogacy abroad and subsequently...