The parliamentary group leader of the German conservative party CDU, Jens Spahn, stepped down from his position following pressure from party leader Friedrich Merz. The episode stems from Spahn's decision to become a father through surrogacy in the United States, a practice banned in Germany. The news triggered an internal debate within the CDU, which has long opposed surrogacy. Spahn was thus compelled to resign from his role as group leader, opening a phase of reorganization at the top of the party.