The Republic of Ireland has elected it's youngest ever Prime Minister, who also happens to be it's first Prime Minister of Indian descent. But the big news out of the North Atlantic nation is that it's new PM, Leo Varadkar, is a gay man; the first ever in the republic's history.
Varadkar joined Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg as the only openly gay Prime Ministers in the world on Friday, June 2, when it was announced that he had won leadership of the Fine Gael party. The 38-year-old former Minister of Social Protection defeated Housing Minister Simon Coveney for the seat with 60% of the vote and will now enter a process to succeed sitting PM Edna Kenny within the coming weeks.
"If my election shows anything it's that prejudice has no hold in this Republic. When my father traveled 5,000 miles to build a new home in Ireland, I doubt he ever dreamed his son would grow up to be its leader," Varadkar said in a speech he delivered after claiming victory. "Any child growing up in Ireland now, I hope, looks at me and my unlikely story and my background, and everything about me, and perhaps says to themselves, that there is no office in this state that I can't aspire to, nothing that they can't do if they believe in themselves,"
Varadkar's six years in political office has represented a liberalization of the nation once known for it's strict, Christian based laws. He has been open about his sexuality since 2015 when he came out before leading a successful same-sex marriage referendum. Up until 1993 homosexuality had been illegal in Northern Ireland, thus lending a particular significance to Varadkar's victory as the nation looks to complete a drastic turn around in society and politics over the past quarter century.
Source: facebook.com
