Its parliament Latvia elected longtime foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics as the new president of the Baltic nation, making him the first openly homosexual its head of state European Union.
Fifty-two deputies from the 100-seat Riga parliament voted for Rinkevics, who had been Latvia’s top diplomat for almost 12 years, as President Egils Levich. Appointed by Prime Minister Kristianis Karins’ ruling party earlier this month, Rinkevich has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine and a vocal critic of the Kremlin.
“I will do everything to make our state prosperous, our country safe, and our society more united,” the new head of the Latvian state said after the vote.
In 2014, he became the first senior official in the Baltic nation of 1.9 million to come out as openly gay. Although the EU’s 27 member states have had several openly gay prime ministers, such as Leo Varadkar of Ireland and Xavier Bethel of Luxembourg, Rinkevich became the first to take over as head of state.
Source: Kathimerini
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.