Xavier Espot Zamora, the Prime Minister of Andorra, has come out as gay in a recent interview with the country’s public broadcaster.
Speaking with Radio and Television of Andorra on 11 September, the politician said: “I’m gay. I’ve never hid it. “Now, if I’m not asked I don’t have to say it, in the sense that it doesn’t define the entirety of who I am and even less my personal politics, but 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.” READ MORE: Latvia swears in Edgars Rinkevics as EU’s first openly gay head of state Espot, who has been Prime Minister since 2019, is now the country’s first openly LGBTQIA+ head of government.
He joins a small group of openly gay or lesbian heads of state, the most recent to take office being President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, in July.
In 2022, Andorra’s government approved a bill that would legalise same-sex marriage in 2023, as well as converting all civil unions into civil marriage.