Chancellor Friedrich Merz.Image: keystone
After the resignation of Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn (CDU), Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to clarify the successor quickly.
July 19, 2026, 05:22July 19, 2026, 05:22
Merz is aiming for a decision before his vacation period planned for the end of July. The German Press Agency learned this from the CDU leader’s entourage. Since Spahn’s resignation, personnel speculation in the Union has been in full swing. The head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei (CDU), is most often mentioned as a possible successor.
Will Frei move from the Chancellery back to the parliamentary group?
Frei was parliamentary managing director under the then parliamentary group leader and opposition leader Merz in the last legislative period and is therefore very familiar with the work at the top of the Union MPs. The 52-year-old was already in discussion for parliamentary group leadership after the 2025 federal election. Merz then brought his close confidant to the Chancellery. He found it difficult to gain a foothold there. Frei is accused by some in the Union of preferring to give interviews rather than coordinate coalition work. In the reform package, the parliamentary group leaders themselves took on this task.
Many believe that the faction’s work suits Frei better. With him, Merz would have a loyal confidante at the top of the party and at the same time could bring new momentum to the Chancellery. The deputy parliamentary group leader and head of the powerful North Rhine-Westphalia state group in the Bundestag, Günter Krings, is most often mentioned as a possible candidate for the post of Chancellor’s Office.
In addition to Frei, General Secretary Carsten Linnemann, who like Spahn comes from North Rhine-Westphalia, would also be considered as parliamentary group leader. He was only able to develop to a limited extent as Secretary General under Merz. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is also mentioned as an option – he is considered the most successful cabinet member. But that is exactly what might speak against a change. Dobrindt has also proven that he can pull the strings from his current position when it comes to the overall structure of the coalition.
The Union’s parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag is traditionally proposed by the two party leaders of the CDU and CSU – Merz and Markus Söder – who want to stay in discussion over the weekend. Important upcoming dates: This Sunday, Merz is giving his summer interview to ZDF. The CDU presidium meets tomorrow. It remains to be seen whether Merz can then present a proposal. The new chairman is elected by the parliamentary group. A special meeting during the summer break is possible. The first regular group meeting after that is not until September 8th.
Three important state elections are coming up
If a decision is not made quickly enough, personnel discussions could dominate the coming weeks, even though the Chancellor and his black-red coalition had hoped for a positive and calm start to the summer break with their reform package. There are also state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin in September. The election campaigners are unlikely to like a stalemate. The AfD is clearly in first place in the surveys in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt – and well ahead of the CDU.
Controversy over surrogacy in the USA
Spahn and his husband Daniel Funke announced on Wednesday that they had become parents. A surrogate mother in the USA gave birth to baby Georg. In the following days, more and more criticism arose, including within the Union’s ranks. The criticism of Spahn was so loud because surrogacy is banned in Germany and Spahn’s party is clearly against legalization, just as Spahn himself had done in the past. The main accusation is that Spahn is using private opportunities that he did not politically grant to people in a similar situation in Germany.
Resignation by letter to the CDU/CSU MPs
On Saturday, Spahn then sent a letter to the members of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag in which he declared his resignation. There had previously been talks between Merz and Spahn. As the German Press Agency learned from those close to the party chairman, the Chancellor called on the faction leader to resign.
According to his own statements, Spahn’s previous deputy Alexander Hoffmann took over the official duties from Spahn at the head of the Union faction on Saturday. “I will lead this group until a new chair is elected. So basically we are in no hurry,” said CSU politician Hoffmann on “ZDF spezial”. The Union faction is still able to make decisions, act and speak. (sda/dpa)