Merkel’s new health minister sparks row over abortion

ONE of the chief rivals to become Angela Merkel’s eventual successor has provoked a row in her coalition government with an outspoken attack on abortion rights campaigners.

Jens Spahn, the newly-promoted health minister, spoke out against calls to lift a German ban on advertising by abortion clinics. “Some of those who now want to promote abortions are uncompromising enough when it comes to animal rights,” he said. “But in this debate they do not take into account that it’s a question of human life.”

The incendiary remarks provoked an immediate backlash, and were condemned by Mrs Merkel’s coalition partners from the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). “I’m surprised the health minister continues to comment on extraneous topics when we still have so much work on health ahead of us,” Karl Lauterbach, the SPD health spokesman, said. “His remarks on abortion are an escalation that makes the debate even more difficult. We don’t need this tone.”

It is the second row to rock Mrs Merkel’s new coalition in its first seven days in office. Horst Seehofer, the interior minister, set off a similar controversy last week when he declared “Islam does not belong in Germany”.

Mr Spahn is known to harbour ambitions of succeeding the chancellor when she eventually steps down as leader of the Christian Democrat party (CDU). Despite being openly gay, he has carved out a role as the darling of the party’s conservative wing.