Merz hints at government reshuffle after CDU leader's resignation over surrogate scandal

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated Sunday that the resignation of Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), could be an opportunity to reconsider the composition of the federal government. Merz made the remark in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, emphasizing that it was a possibility, not a plan.

Spahn, a former health minister and one of the CDU's most prominent figures, resigned on Saturday after it emerged that he and his husband had a child through a surrogate mother in the United States. Surrogacy is banned in Germany, and the CDU reaffirmed its opposition earlier this year, exposing Spahn to accusations of hypocrisy.

Asked about Thorsten Frei, his chief of staff, as a potential successor — a name floated by ZDF — Merz declined to confirm any names. Promoting Frei would leave Merz with another senior vacancy to fill.

In the interview, Merz also refrained from personally defending Spahn, stating that he had not expected outrage "on this scale." He suggested the reaction "probably also had something to do with his person, and also with the communication." Merz revealed that Spahn had informed him about the child around ten days ago and asked him to keep it quiet, which he did. The chancellor said Spahn informed the party "very, very late," and the damage to its credibility became "abundantly clear" on Saturday, prompting action.

German media reported Saturday that Merz had asked Spahn to step down. When asked whether he felt betrayed, Merz said he did not want to assess that publicly. He called the matter closed and thanked Spahn for his work on the governing coalition's recent reforms. According to ZDF, the CDU party leadership is expected to discuss the succession in the coming days.