Jens Spahn, the head of the ruling conservative bloc in the German parliament, stepped down on Saturday amid a controversy surrounding his decision to have a child via surrogacy.

The resignation was requested by Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU). Spahn and his husband had their child through a surrogate mother in the United States.

Surrogacy is not permitted in Germany and the CDU opposes its legalization. Spahn's actions have drawn sharp criticism from within the party, highlighting the tension between conservative values and personal choices.

The incident has sparked widespread debate in German political circles, raising questions about the consistency of party leadership and the ethics of surrogacy.

Source: www.dw.com