List of openly LGBT heads of state and government
(Redirected from List of LGBT heads of government)
This is a list of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans (LGBTQ) people who have been the head of state or government of a country or a subnational division such as a state, a province, or a territory. Openly LGBT people have served as national heads of state or government in Andorra, Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, San Marino, and Serbia.
Heads of state
edit Denotes incumbent head of state
Name | Portrait | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paolo Rondelli | San Marino | Captain Regent | RETE Movement | 1 April 2022 | 1 October 2022 | 183 days | Gay[1] | |
Edgars Rinkēvičs | Latvia | President | Unity | 8 July 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 164 days | Gay[2][3] |
Heads and deputy heads of government
edit Denotes incumbent head of government
Name | Portrait | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir | Iceland | Prime Minister | Social Democratic Alliance | 1 February 2009 | 23 May 2013 | 4 years, 111 days | Lesbian[4] | |
Elio Di Rupo | Belgium | Prime Minister | Socialist Party | 6 December 2011 | 11 October 2014 | 2 years, 309 days | Gay[5] | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 4 December 2013 | 17 November 2023 | 9 years, 348 days | Gay[6] | |
Leo Varadkar | Ireland | Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 3 years, 13 days | Gay[7] | |
17 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | 1 year, 114 days | ||||||
Ana Brnabić | Serbia | Prime Minister | Progressive Party | 29 June 2017 | 20 March 2024 | 6 years, 265 days | Lesbian[8] | |
Xavier Espot Zamora | Andorra | Prime Minister | Democrats for Andorra | 16 May 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 217 days | Gay[9] | |
Gabriel Attal | France | Prime Minister | Renaissance | 9 January 2024 | 5 September 2024 | 240 days | Gay[10] |
Deputy heads of government
editSome openly LGBT people have also served as deputy prime ministers, or an analogous office, who may take the position of the acting head of government when they are temporarily absent.
Name | Portrait | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gaëtan Duval | Mauritius | Deputy Prime Minister | Social Democratic Party | 21 August 1983 | 11 December 1988 | 5 years, 112 days | Gay | |
Guido Westerwelle | Germany | Vice-Chancellor | Free Democratic Party | 28 October 2009 | 16 May 2011 | 1 year, 200 days | Gay | |
Etienne Schneider | Luxembourg | Deputy Prime Minister | Socialist Workers' Party | 4 December 2013 | 4 February 2020 | 6 years, 62 days | Gay | |
Kajsa Ollongren | Netherlands | Second Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 26 October 2017 | 1 November 2019 | 2 years, 6 days | Lesbian | |
14 May 2020 | 10 January 2022 | 1 year, 241 days | ||||||
Leo Varadkar | Ireland | Tánaiste | Fine Gael | 27 June 2020 | 17 December 2022 | 2 years, 173 days | Gay | |
Petra De Sutter | Belgium | Deputy Prime Minister | Groen | 1 October 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 79 days | Trans woman | |
Grant Robertson | New Zealand | Deputy Prime Minister | Labour Party | 6 November 2020 | 25 January 2023 | 2 years, 80 days | Gay | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | Deputy Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 17 November 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 32 days | Gay | |
Rob Jetten | Netherlands | First Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 8 January 2024 | 2 July 2024 | 176 days | Gay |
Sub-national leaders
edit Denotes incumbent head of sub-national government
Name | Portrait | Entity | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Dunstan | South Australia | Australia | Premier | Labor Party | 1 June 1967 | 17 April 1968 | 321 days | Bisexual | |
2 June 1970 | 15 February 1979 | 8 years, 258 days | |||||||
Jerónimo Saavedra[a] | Canary Islands | Spain | President | Socialist Workers' Party | 29 November 1982 | 4 July 1987 | 4 years, 217 days | Gay[11] | |
11 July 1991 | 2 April 1993 | 1 year, 265 days | |||||||
Gustavo Álvarez Gardeazábal | Valle del Cauca | Colombia | Governor | Independent | 1 January 1998 | 27 July 1999 | 1 year, 207 days | Gay | |
Elio Di Rupo | Wallonia | Belgium | Minister-President | Socialist Party | 15 July 1999 | 4 April 2000 | 264 days | Gay[5] | |
6 October 2005 | 20 July 2007 | 1 year, 287 days | |||||||
13 September 2019 | 15 July 2024 | 4 years, 306 days | |||||||
Jan Franssen | South Holland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 3 May 2000 | 1 January 2014 | 13 years, 243 days | Gay[12] | |
Erling Lae | Vestfold | Norway | Governor | Conservative Party | 1 June 2010 | 30 June 2016 | 6 years, 29 days | Gay[13] | |
Klaus Wowereit | Berlin | Germany | Governing Mayor | Social Democratic Party | 16 June 2001 | 11 December 2014 | 13 years, 178 days | Gay[14] | |
Ole von Beust | Hamburg | Germany | First Mayor | Christian Democratic Union | 31 October 2001 | 25 August 2010 | 8 years, 298 days | Gay[15] | |
Jim McGreevey | New Jersey | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 15 January 2002 | 15 November 2004 | 2 years, 305 days | Gay | |
Nichi Vendola | Apulia | Italy | President | Communist Refoundation Party | 4 April 2005 | 1 June 2015 | 10 years, 58 days | Gay[16] | |
Clemens Cornielje | Gelderland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 31 August 2005 | 6 February 2019 | 13 years, 159 days | Gay[17] | |
Bernhard Pulver | Bern | Switzerland | Member of the Executive Council | Green Party | 1 June 2006 | 31 May 2018 | 11 years, 364 days | Gay[18] | |
Lynne Brown | Western Cape | South Africa | Premier | African National Congress | 25 July 2008 | 6 May 2009 | 315 days | Lesbian[19] | |
Allan Bell | Isle of Man | United Kingdom | Chief Minister | Independent | 11 October 2011 | 4 October 2016 | 4 years, 359 days | Gay[20] | |
Martin Klöti | St. Gallen | Switzerland | Member of the Executive Council | The Liberals | 1 June 2012 | 31 May 2020 | 7 years, 365 days | Gay[21] | |
Cian O'Callaghan | Fingal | Ireland | Mayor | Labour Party | 22 June 2012 | 15 June 2013 | 358 days | Gay[22] | |
Rosario Crocetta | Sicily | Italy | President | Democratic Party | 10 November 2012 | 18 November 2017 | 5 years, 8 days | Gay[23] | |
Kathleen Wynne | Ontario | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 11 February 2013 | 29 June 2018 | 5 years, 116 days | Lesbian | |
Fintan Warfield | South Dublin | Ireland | Mayor | Sinn Féin | 6 June 2014 | 25 June 2015 | 1 year, 19 days | Gay[24] | |
Andrew Barr | Australian Capital Territory | Australia | Chief Minister | Labor Party | 11 December 2014 | Incumbent | 10 years, 8 days | Gay | |
Kate Brown | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 18 February 2015 | 9 January 2023 | 7 years, 325 days | Bisexual | |
Wade MacLauchlan | Prince Edward Island | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 23 February 2015 | 9 May 2019 | 4 years, 75 days | Gay | |
Niluka Ekanayake | Central Province | Sri Lanka | Governor | Independent | 17 March 2016 | 11 April 2018 | 2 years, 25 days | Trans woman | |
Sabaragamuwa Province | Governor | 12 April 2018 | 31 December 2018 | 263 days | |||||
Arno Brok | Friesland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 1 March 2017 | Incumbent | 7 years, 293 days | Gay[25] | |
Andy Street | West Midlands | United Kingdom | Mayor | Conservative Party | 8 May 2017 | 5 May 2024 | 6 years, 363 days | Gay[26] | |
Thierry Apothéloz | Geneva | Switzerland | Member of the Council of State | Social Democratic Party | 1 June 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 201 days | Gay[27] | |
Eduardo Leite | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | Governor | Social Democracy Party | 1 January 2019 | 31 March 2022 | 3 years, 89 days | Gay | |
1 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 353 days | |||||||
Fátima Bezerra | Rio Grande do Norte | Brazil | Governor | Workers' Party | 1 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 353 days | Lesbian | |
Jared Polis | Colorado | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 8 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 346 days | Gay | |
Gustavo Melella | Tierra del Fuego | Argentina | Governor | FORJA Concertation Party | 17 December 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 2 days | Gay | |
Claudia López Hernández | Bogotá | Colombia | Mayor | Green Alliance | 1 January 2020 | 31 December 2023 | 3 years, 364 days | Lesbian | |
Bent Høie | Rogaland | Norway | Governor | Conservative Party | 1 November 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 48 days | Gay[28] | |
Emma Murphy | South Dublin | Ireland | Mayor | Fianna Fáil | 24 June 2022 | 29 June 2023 | 1 year, 5 days | Lesbian[29] | |
Maura Healey | Massachusetts | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 5 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 349 days | Lesbian | |
Tina Kotek | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 9 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 345 days | Lesbian | |
Karl Love | Isle of Wight | United Kingdom | Chair | Independent | 15 May 2024 | Incumbent | 218 days | Gay[30] |
Others
editPoliticians who were closeted while in office and never officially came out or were outed only after their deaths or retirement include:
- Frederick the Great, King of Prussia between 1740 and 1786, was officially married to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, but he is considered to have been homosexual by most historians. He had many suspected relationships with men and wrote homoerotic poetry. He never came out, although he did not do much to hide it.[31] After his death, many historians tried to pass off his homosexuality as a rumor, but it is now widely accepted.
- William II, King of the Netherlands between 1840 and 1849 and head of government until the constitutional reform of 1848, was either gay or bisexual; he had been blackmailed because of his sexual orientation.[32][33]
- Ludwig II, King of Bavaria between 1864 and 1886. Ludwig never married nor had any known mistresses. His diary, private letters, and other documents reveal his strong homosexual desires,[34] which he struggled to suppress to remain true to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.[35] Throughout his reign, Ludwig had a succession of close friendships with men, including his aide-de-camp Bavarian Prince Paul von Thurn und Taxis, his chief equerry and master of the horse, Richard Hornig, Hungarian theater actor Josef Kainz, and courtier Alfons Weber.[36][37] Letters from Ludwig reveal that the quartermaster of the royal stables, Karl Hesselschwerdt, acted as his male procurer.[38][39][40]
- Prince Maximilian of Baden, German Chancellor in 1918. He was gay, and was listed as such in a document by the Baden criminal police when he was young, but married Princess Marie Louise of Hanover. He is said to have been in a relationship with geologist Wilhelm Paulcke from at least 1912.[41]
- Gustaf V, King of Sweden between 1910 and 1950, was either gay or bisexual. After his death, restaurateur Kurt Haijby revealed that he and the King had had a homosexual relationship. Haijby had threatened to reveal the relationship but was paid by the crown to keep silent.[42]
- Richard Hatfield, Premier of New Brunswick between 1970 and 1987, never officially came out during his lifetime; his sexual orientation only began to be discussed on the record in media and biographical sources after his death.[43][44][45][46][47]
- Canaan Banana, the first President of Zimbabwe between 1980 and 1987, was found to be either gay or bisexual in 1997, despite his denial. After a highly publicized trial, he was convicted in 1998 of 11 counts of sodomy and "unnatural acts", for which he was imprisoned for six months.[48][49][50][51][52]
- Kārlis Ulmanis, the authoritarian leader of Latvia between 1934 and 1940, was unmarried and his possible sexual orientation was actively discussed both during his reign and after the restoration of Latvia's independence.[53][54][55]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Anarte, Enrique (2022-01-12). "Tiny European states play catch up on LGBT equality". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
- ^ "Par Valsts prezidentu ievēlēts ārlietu ministrs Edgars Rinkēvičs". LSM (in Latvian). 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ Eglitis, Aaron (31 May 2023). "EU's First Openly Gay Head of State Elected by Latvian Assembly". Bloomberg. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ Gunnarsson, Valur (30 January 2009). "Iceland to elect world's first openly gay PM". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ a b Vander Taelen, Luckas (10 December 2011). "Can Belgium's new prime minister keep living the dream?". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Gayle, Damien (15 May 2015). "Luxembourg's prime minister first EU leader to marry same-sex partner". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Dunne, Seán (2 June 2017). "Varadkar set to be 'first openly gay Irish PM', say world headlines". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ "Srbija ima novu vladu. Ana Brnabić postala premijerka. (Serbia has a new government. Ana Brnabić becomes prime minister". Dirketno.hr (in Serbian). 29 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
- ^ "El presidente de Andorra sale del armario: "Yo soy gay y nunca me he escondido"". The Objective (in Spanish). 11 September 2023.
- ^ Biseau, Grégoire. "Stéphane Séjourné and Gabriel Attal, a couple at the heart of power". Le Monde. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Ferrera, Toni (21 November 2013). "Cuando Jerónimo Saavedra visibilizó su homosexualidad a los 64 años tras la muerte de su pareja". El Diario (in Spanish). Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
- ^ Slingerland, Monic (23 May 2009). "'Ik ervoer warmte en openheid'". Trouw (in Dutch).
- ^ Mo, Ida Svingen (18 June 2007). "Lae hyllet i Berlin". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 10 January 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ Witting, Volker (9 June 2021). ""Ich bin schwul - und das ist auch gut so!"". Deutsche Welle (in German).
- ^ "Ole von Beust heiratet 22-jährigen Ex-Praktikanten". Welt (in German). 25 June 2013.
- ^ Boni, Frederico (19 August 2019). "Nichi Vendola: "Sono un padre innamorato, al Governo incolti e irresponsabili"". Gay.it (in Italian).
- ^ "Clemens Cornielje was een 'warm mens' én een kat met negen levens" (in Dutch). Arnhem. 17 March 2022.
- ^ Geister, Frank (15 October 2018). "«Es geht um die Frage, wie man liebt»". Der Bund (in German).
- ^ Smith, David (26 May 2014). "South Africa appoints first lesbian to cabinet". The Guardian.
- ^ "Chief Minister comes out to UK newspaper". Manx Radio. 5 October 2015.
- ^ Elsener, Marcel. "«Bis in jeder Familie einer schwul ist»". Tagblatt (in German).
- ^ "Ireland's 'first openly gay mayor' elected". The Journal. 22 June 2012.
- ^ "Rosario Crocetta: "Sono gay, ma se potessi tornare indietro non lo direi più"". il Fatto Nissèno (in Italian). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "New mayor of South Dublin says he's proud to be 'an openly LGBT mayor'". The Journal. 6 June 2014.
- ^ "SGP steunt burgemeester Dordrecht". Rijnmond (in Dutch). 11 January 2010.
- ^ Rowe, Nathan (14 June 2022). "Andy Street didn't realise he was gay until 30 - and talks of 'intense friendship' with MP Michael Fabricant". Express & Star.
- ^ Hugo, Frédéric (1 November 2013). "«J'ai décidé de ne rien cacher»". 360.ch (in French).
- ^ "Bent Høie og ektemannen går fra hverandre etter 26 år". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ Wilson, Jade (24 June 2022). "Fianna Fáil councillor becomes first LGBTQ woman elected as mayor of local authority". The Irish Times.
- ^ Little, Lori (26 May 2024). "New Isle of Wight Council chair Karl Love will champion inclusivity". Isle of Wight County Press.
- ^ Blanning, T. C. W. (2016). Frederick the Great: King of Prussia. New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6812-8. OCLC 918986371.
- ^ "Koning Willem II gechanteerd wegens homoseksualiteit".
- ^ Hermans, Dorine and Hooghiemstra, Daniela: Voor de troon wordt men niet ongestrafd geboren, ooggetuigen van de koningen van Nederland 1830–1890, ISBN 978-90-351-3114-9, 2007.
- ^ McIntosh, Christopher (1982). The Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria. I. B. Tauris. pp. 153–159. ISBN 1-86064-892-4.
- ^ McIntosh 1982, pp. 155–158.
- ^ McIntosh 1982, pp. 153–159.
- ^ Oliver Hilmes, Ludwig II.: Der Unzeitgemäße König, Siedler Verlag, 2013, passim.
- ^ Holzschuh, Robert, Das Paradies verlorene Ludwigs II': Die persönliche Tragödie des Märchenkönigs, Eichborn 2001, passim
- ^ Przybilla, Olaf 'Auf vermintem Terrain', Welt, 9.11. 2001
- ^ 31. Antiquaria Peregrina, Antiquariatsmesse Ludwigsburg, 2017, p62
- ^ Machtan, Lothar (2013). Prinz Max von Baden der letzte Kanzler des Kaisers ; eine Biographie (1. Aufl ed.). Berlin: Suhrkamp. pp. 154, 233, 440–445. ISBN 978-3-518-42407-0. OCLC 862796444.
- ^ Gianoulis, Tina (November 16, 2006). "Gustav V, King of Sweden (1858-1950)". GLBTQ - An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ Warren Kinsella, "Not everyone loves a parade". Toronto Sun, June 26, 2011.
- ^ "Definitely out now". Perceptions, September 14, 1994.
- ^ Richard Starr, Richard Hatfield: The Seventeen Year Saga. Goodread Biography, 1988. ISBN 0887801536.
- ^ Politician Pays Price For Life On The Edge, Chicago Tribune
- ^ "Gay politicians come out of the closet and into the cabinet". The Globe and Mail, November 13, 2009.
- ^ Mark Steyn (17 November 2003). "Zimbabwe's Banana left legacy of disgrace". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ^ Essays in Honor of Bernth Lindfors, Volume 2, Barbara Harlow, Africa World Press, 2002, page 210
- ^ Zim's presidential rape scandal, Mail and Guardian, 28 February 1997
- ^ Taylor, Rebecca. 'They say that power corrupts – and it does'. The Guardian. 23 January 2002.
- ^ McNeil Jr, Donald G. (27 November 1998). "Zimbabwe's Ex-President Convicted of Sodomy". The New York Times (Archives). Retrieved 8 July 2007.
- ^ "News.lv: 'Delfi' atklātais dokuments par Ulmani: aizdomas par 'vadoņa' homoseksualitāti nav dzēstas 08.09.2022 Delfi Plus". news.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2023-05-13.
- ^ mango.lv. "Pētījums: Kārlis Ulmanis esot bijis gejs". www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2023-05-13.
- ^ "Kārlis Ulmanis bijis gejs un šodien būtu piedalījies praidā, saka zibakcijas rīkotāji". tv3.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2023-05-13.