German politician resigns over surrogacy child controversy
German politician Jens Spahn has resigned as parliamentary group leader after facing criticism for using a surrogate mother in the US. Spahn acknowledged that his personal family choices were incompatible with his political office and the party's stance on surrogacy.
Why it matters
The resignation highlights the ongoing ethical and political debates surrounding surrogacy laws and the expectations of public figures in Germany.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, 46-year-old Jens Spahn announced he and his husband had become parents earlier this week
German centre-right politician Jens Spahn has resigned as parliamentary group leader of the country's governing coalition after being accused of hypocrisy over his use of a surrogate mother in the US to have a child.
Surrogacy is prohibited in Germany - a policy backed by his Christian Democrat party (CDU) and, several years ago, by Spahn himself - although raising a child born to a surrogate mother abroad is not.
He wrote in a statement on Saturday: "I have realised that my personal happiness - founding a family together with my husband and becoming a father - is not compatible with my political office."
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who leads the CDU, called his decision "right" and "inevitable".
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