There’s a new gay president on the world stage

Latvia, a former Soviet republic, has selected an out gay man as president. Edgars Rinkēvičs will be the first LGBTQ+ leader of a Baltic nation.

The Latvian Parliament selected Rinkēvičs to serve a four-year term. He received more than twice the number of votes as his closest rival.

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One of Latvia’s most popular politicians, Rinkēvičs has served as the country’s top diplomat since 2011. He came out publicly in 2014, saying he was “proudly” gay.

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The former Soviet republics have lagged behind western Europe’s support for LGBTQ+ rights, but Rinkēvičs’ election is being hailed as a step forward for both visibility and support.

Kristine Garina, head of Mozaika, an LGBTQ+ rights group in Latvia, hailed Rinkevics’ 2014 announcement as “historic for the whole post-Soviet bloc because it’s quite homophobic. He’s the first such high politician in the post-Soviet space that has come out.”

While same-sex marriage is not yet recognized, the country does offer domestic partnerships. LGBTQ+ people are protected from employment and housing discrimination under Latvian law; anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech is also illegal.

The small nation of 1.9 million people has also hosted World Pride, and Riga, the capital, hosts a Pride festival and parade that draws thousands each year.