Edgars Rinkevics: European Union's first openly gay head of state sworn in as Latvia's president
Latvia, but civil partnerships have been available to gay couples since last year.Latvia's presidency is largely a ceremonial post and the head of state acts mainly as an opinion leader and uniting figure in the country.The president's responsibilities include representing Latvia abroad, acting as the supreme commander of the armed forces, signing bills into law, and nominating the prime minister.The EU has had openly gay people elected as heads of government before - including Ireland's Leo Varadkar - but never a gay head of state.Many countries have two people performing the roles of head of state and head of government - in the UK, the King is head of state.Read more:LGBT activists welcome Pope to Congo as he dismisses anti-gay lawsPride in London 2023: Thousands march from Hyde Park as Just Stop Oil attempts to disrupt eventIn his inaugural speech on Saturday, Mr Rinkevics pledged "to stand up for a modern and strong Latvia, for a legal and just Latvia, for the wellbeing of the people, for an inclusive and respectful society".He added: "The rights of every person must be respected and protected in accordance with the highest human rights values and standards."Be the first to get Breaking NewsInstall the Sky News app for freeHe also vowed to continue Latvia's support for the "heroic Ukrainian people", saying the country's foreign policy "does not have time for mistakes".Mr Rinkevics, 49, is the seventh president of Latvia, a nation of 1.8 million that has been a member of the EU and NATO since it regained its independence in 1991..
