Jens Spahn, a prominent member of the German Christian Democrat party, is facing significant backlash after announcing that he and his husband, Daniel Funke, became parents through a surrogate in the United States. While surrogacy is prohibited within Germany under the 1990 Embryo Protection Act, utilizing the practice abroad is not explicitly banned for citizens.
Critics, including several members of his own party, argue that Spahn is guilty of hypocrisy. During his tenure as health minister, he consistently blocked efforts to legalize domestic surrogacy and previously expressed personal discomfort with the practice. Marion Rosin of the Women’s Union stated that a lack of political credibility on such an issue necessitates a resignation. Similarly, CDU figure Daniel Peters remarked that Spahn’s decision to bypass the law he publicly upholds makes his position untenable.
The issue has sparked a broader debate within the CDU regarding its official stance. Party leader Friedrich Merz confirmed that the matter will be addressed during an executive meeting, though he maintained that the party’s opposition to legalizing domestic surrogacy remains unchanged. While some political opponents, such as the Greens’ Felix Banaszak, offered personal congratulations, others pointedly questioned the ethical standards of politicians who enact strict domestic laws only to circumvent them internationally.
