Edgars Rinkevics, the long-serving foreign minister of Latvia, has made history by becoming the first openly gay head of state in a European Union nation. Rinkevics, who held the position of foreign minister since 2011, was inaugurated as Latvia’s president in Riga. While the presidency in Latvia is largely symbolic, the president possesses the authority to veto legislation and initiate referendums.
Although several openly gay individuals have served as heads of government in the EU, Rinkevics is the first openly gay head of state. Former Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo was the EU’s first openly gay head of government.
In 2014, Rinkevics publicly came out as gay and has since been a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. Notably, Latvia does not recognize same-sex marriage, but the country’s constitutional court acknowledged same-sex unions in 2020.
During his inaugural speech, Rinkevics expressed his commitment to supporting Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. He emphasized the importance of Latvia’s foreign policy and pledged to act swiftly, decisively, and wisely. Addressing social inequality, Rinkevics encouraged young Latvians to break barriers and advocated for the creation of a modern, just, and inclusive society.
Rinkevics succeeds Egils Levits, who served as Latvia’s president for four years. As the new president, Rinkevics will represent Latvia at the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Latvia, along with Lithuania and Estonia, joined the European Union in 2004 after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
