Andorra, a small European country located between France and Spain, has made history by having its first openly gay head of government. Xavier Espot Zamora, the prime minister of Andorra, revealed his sexual orientation in an interview with the country’s public broadcaster, RTVA, on September 11, 2023.
He said he is gay and he has never hidden it, but he also said it does not define his entire identity or his political views. “I am gay and I have never hidden it. It is one of the many facets that make up my identity, but it is not the only one nor the most important one,” he said.
He expressed his hope that his coming out would help young people who are struggling with their sexuality to see that they can succeed in the country regardless of their orientation. “ at the same time I think it shouldn’t be a problem to express it. And if this helps many children, young people or teenagers who are going through a difficult time see that in the end, regardless of their condition or sexual orientation, you can prosper in this country and reach the highest magistracy, then I am happy to express it.”
He also acknowledged that there is still a need to combat discrimination and promote equality for LGBTQ+ people in Andorra, a country with a population of about 77,000 people. Andorra legalized same-sex marriage in 2022, becoming the 29th country in the world to do so.
Espot Zamora’s coming out has been welcomed by LGBTQ+ activists and organizations around the world. He is the first openly gay head of government in Europe and the second in the world, after Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel, who married his partner in 2015.
Three other nations currently have openly gay prime ministers: Luxembourg, Serbia, and Ireland. Latvia’s current president is openly gay.
Relevant articles:
- Andorran prime minister comes out as gay, Washington Blade, September 11, 2023
- Andorra’s PM comes out as gay in historic moment for Europe, PinkNews, September 12, 2023
- Andorra’s leader reveals he is gay in TV interview, BBC News, September 12, 2023
- Xavier Espot Zamora: Andorra’s first openly gay prime minister, The Guardian, September 13, 2023