Jens Spahn
Photo: Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- Sep 28
Jens Spahn resigns from Bundestag Budget Committee after Sardinia trip controversy
The former CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader announced his withdrawal from the Bundestag Budget Committee on Monday following internal party backlash over an unexcused absence spent in Sardinia.
- Sep 26
Jens Spahn receives committee probation following Sardinia trip during Bundestag sitting week
Former CDU/CSU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn has received a probationary stay on the Bundestag Budget Committee through December 2026 after missing parliamentary meetings during a trip to Sardinia.
- Sep 3
Jens Spahn files criminal defamation complaint against rapper Ski Aggu over Twitch drug claims
CDU politician Jens Spahn has initiated legal action and filed a criminal complaint against German rapper Ski Aggu following fabricated drug allegations made during a live Twitch broadcast from a Berlin subway station.
- Aug 23
Merz returns to Berlin facing CDU dissent, cabinet retreat and state elections
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ended a 23-day summer break, returning to Berlin ahead of a CDU presidium meeting, a cabinet retreat at Schloss Neuhardenberg, and three state elections in September.
- Jul 27
Merz reshuffles CDU and cabinet: Franziska Hoppermann to become party general secretary, Linnemann moves to health ministry
Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed the current party treasurer to the CDU presidium on Monday, part of a wider personnel package triggered by Jens Spahn's resignation as parliamentary group leader.
- Jul 26
Söder announces 2028 re-election bid, defends Merz's reshuffle, and warns against AfD cooperation
Bavarian premier Markus Söder used the ZDF Sommerinterview to confirm his 2028 candidacy, defend Chancellor Merz's cabinet reshuffle, and draw a sharp line against cooperation with the AfD, while also addressing the Berlin CSD attack.
- Jul 25
Linnemann, with 'hell of a respect', takes on health minister role despite own earlier doubts
Carsten Linnemann, previously unsure of his suitability, now accepts Germany's health ministry, promising to reduce the number of health insurance funds and stabilize social contributions.
- Jul 24
Merz reshuffles German cabinet after Spahn resignation, signals further changes before state votes
Chancellor Friedrich Merz replaced his chancellery chief and health minister on Friday, with the transport minister also expected to depart, as he seeks to revive his unpopular government before September regional elections.
- Jul 23
Merz reshuffles cabinet as CDU rebellion exposes chancellor's weakened grip
Chancellor Friedrich Merz replaced his transport and health ministers and installed a new parliamentary group leader after an 11-day reshuffle, but open criticism from senior CDU figures and a new pension row with eastern state premiers left his authority badly dented.
- Jul 23
Helmut Martin: Surrogacy ban must stay, Spahn's secrecy 'not appropriate' for his office
Rhineland-Palatinate's new justice minister Helmut Martin (CDU) told dpa he opposes any relaxation of Germany's surrogacy ban, warning of a 'terrible thought' of a market for children. He also said former CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn, who resigned after using a surrogate in the US, did not meet the standards of his office.
- Jul 22
Kretschmer: 'Whoever still talks about firewalls has not recognized the signs of the times'
Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer says the CDU must talk to every party, including the Left, as state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern approach in September.
- Jul 21
Germans divided 41-39 percent on surrogacy ban, 21 percent undecided, after Jens Spahn resignation
A snap Insa poll shows 41% think the ban is wrong and 39% right, while 21% are undecided, as CDU's Spahn steps down over his own surrogacy abroad.
- Jul 19
Jens Spahn resigns as CDU/CSU parliamentary leader after surrogacy backlash
The head of Germany's conservative parliamentary group stepped down on Saturday after his decision to have a child via a surrogate in the United States collided with his party's long-standing opposition to the practice.
- Jul 18
Jens Spahn steps down as CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader after surrogacy controversy; Chancellor Merz demanded his resignation
The head of Germany's CDU/CSU parliamentary group stepped down on Saturday after Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded his resignation, following revelations that Spahn and his husband used a surrogate in the United States to become parents.
- Jul 16
German conservatives to elect Spahn's successor on 29 July after surrogacy resignation
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group will convene a special session on 29 July at 14:00 in Berlin to elect a new chair, after Jens Spahn resigned on Saturday under pressure from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his own party over his use of a surrogate mother in the United States.
- Jul 7
Germany plans deep cuts to heat pump subsidies, shifts to income-based support
The German government is planning to slash subsidies for climate-friendly heating systems, saving €2.1 billion by 2030, while redirecting support to lower-income households and families.
- Jun 14
Spahn pressures SPD to deliver working time reform, shifting from 8-hour day to weekly maximum
CDU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn has urged the SPD to implement the coalition deal on flexible working hours, warning that the economy needs more room to manoeuvre. The Social Democrats are resisting, with unions calling the reform an attack on health.
- Jun 1
Germany's Coalition Clashes Over Student Grants: BAföG Increase in Doubt as SPD Accuses CDU/CSU of Breaking Promises
A dispute over the financing of a planned increase to Germany's student grant scheme, BAföG, has erupted within the ruling coalition, with the SPD accusing its CDU/CSU partners of reneging on a deal and sowing uncertainty among young people.
- May 31
Germany's Bafög Reform in Limbo: Minister Bär Doubts Passage, SPD Fires Back in Coalition Clash
A public dispute has erupted within Germany's governing coalition after Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) cast doubt on the planned Bafög student aid reform, drawing sharp rebukes from the SPD, which insists the deal is still on.
