Andorra’s prime minister, Xavier Espot Zamora, comes out as gay: ‘I never hid it’

Andorra’s prime minister, Xavier Espot Zamora, has come out as gay. 

In an interview with Radio and Television of Andorra, the country’s national broadcaster, the prime minister said: “[I] never hid it, Now, if I’m not asked I don’t have to say it either, in the sense that it doesn’t define the entirety of my person and even less of my personal politics.

“But at the same time, I think it shouldn’t be a problem to express it. 

“And if this helps children, young people or teenagers – who are going through a difficult time – [to] see that in the end, regardless of their condition or sexual orientation, in this country you can prosper and reach the highest magistracy.”  

A former judge, Zamora took office in 2019 and oversees the country’s population of approximately 79,000. 

During the course of his premiership, Andorra has legalised marriage for same-sex couples, introduced anti-discrimination laws for gender identity or expression, and the right for trans people to change their legal gender. 

In the most recent ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map rankings, Andorra was ranked 24th out of Europe’s 49 countries on LGBTQ+ rights. 

However, conversion therapy has not been outlawed and non-binary identities are not legally recognised. 

Zamora is not the first LGBTQ+ leader in Europe. In July, Latvia swore in Edgars Rinkēvičs, its first openly gay president. 

“During my presidency, I will stand up for the creation of a modern and strong Latvia, for a legal and just Latvia, for the wellbeing of the people, for an inclusive and respectful society,” he said in his inaugural address. 

“It is possible for all of us to achieve this by working together.”

Ireland’s Leo Varadkar, who has served as taoiseach since December, is also openly gay. 

“It’s not something that defines me,” said Vardkar, who also held office between 2017 and 2020. “I’m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter. It’s just part of who I am, it doesn’t define me, it is part of my character, I suppose.”

Ana Brnabić, who took office in 2017, is Serbia’s first female and first openly gay prime minister. 

And Xavier Bettel, the prime minister of Luxembourg, has been in office since 2013. He married architect Gauthier Destenay in 2015 – the same year same-sex marriage was legalised in the country.