German govt: No double standards in drug commissioner Streeck's surrogacy case

Hendrik Streeck (CDU) — Source: Michael Kappeler/dpa

CDU politician Hendrik Streeck, the Federal Government's Drug Commissioner, became a father with the help of a surrogate mother in the USA. The federal government has stated that this case is to be assessed differently than the paternity of Jens Spahn.

The federal government sees the paternity of Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck (CDU) through surrogacy as a distinct situation from that of resigned Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn (CDU). Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius stated on Monday in Berlin that Streeck had not advocated any demands "that contradict his personal lifestyle." Consequently, "no accusation of double standards is discernible in Streeck's case."

Streeck confirmed his paternity together with his husband in April to the magazine Bunte. "Yes, we can confirm that we have become parents," the magazine quoted him at the time, following the birth of the child, which reportedly took place in the US state of Idaho. The CDU politician has not commented further on the circumstances of his paternity.

Spahn had also become a father through surrogacy. However, he had previously rejected such a procedure in line with the CDU party line. Due to accusations regarding this, he resigned as parliamentary group leader on Saturday.

Read also:

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• Debate about Spahn's child: "Let's summarize what a surrogate mother actually receives – these figures leave me speechless" (Weltplus article)

"I must ask for understanding that we are not participating in the debate about Streeck," Kornelius said regarding the Federal Government's Drug Commissioner and CDU member of the Bundestag. He referred to Streeck's privacy, "which must be respected." Kornelius added that Streeck did not make the circumstances of his paternity public himself, and that he himself has no information on the matter.

"Currently no initiative to change the legal situation"

In Germany, surrogacy is prohibited, unlike in the USA and some other countries. "There is currently no initiative from the federal government to change the legal situation," Kornelius stated. The CDU had spoken out against legalizing surrogacy in a party convention resolution.

AFP/ll