German conservatives pick new parliamentary leader after surrogacy row

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has moved swiftly to fill the vacancy left by Jens Spahn's resignation over a surrogacy controversy that rocked Germany's conservative bloc.

Merz has chosen his chief of staff, Thorsten Frei, to succeed Spahn as head of the conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group, according to sources within the alliance on Wednesday.

Merz and Bavarian Premier Markus Söder, the powerful leader of the Christian Democratic Party's (CDU) sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), agreed on Frei's nomination after consultations within the parties, the sources told dpa.

Frei's appointment must still be approved in a vote by the parliamentary group, a move that is expected to happen next week.

It remains unclear whether the reshuffle will also lead to broader changes within Merz's Cabinet. Frei has served as head of the Federal Chancellery since Merz took office in May 2025.

The move would return Frei to a leadership role in parliamentary politics. During the previous legislative term, the 52-year-old CDU politician served as parliamentary secretary of the CDU/CSU bloc under then opposition leader Merz. The two are close political allies.

Frei had also been considered for the parliamentary leadership after the 2025 federal election before Merz instead appointed him head of the Chancellery. 

His tenure in that role has drawn criticism from some within the conservative alliance, who argued he focused too heavily on media appearances rather than coordinating the coalition government's work. 

Many within the CDU/CSU believe Frei is better suited to parliamentary work, where Merz would gain a trusted loyalist at the helm of the conservative bloc in the Bundestag. Frei has been a member of parliament since 2013.