LUXEMBOURG’S PRIME MINISTER IS THE FIRST EU LEADER TO MARRY SAME-SEX PARTNER

Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel married his partner Gunthier Destenay on Friday reports NPR, making him the very first EU leader, and second world leader, to marry a same-sex partner. Bettel is only the second openly gay leader in the EU, with former Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Eupio being the first.

Gay marriage was only recently legalized in Luxembourg, with “Bettel’s party winning a prominent spot in the ruling coalition after campaigning for same-sex marriage.”

“[Same-sex marriage] was previously knocked down in 2007 by the then ruling Christian People’s party, but a poll in 2013 found 83% of Luxembourgers supported a change in the law.

“Little is known about Destenay, who works for the Belgian-Luxembourger architecture firm A3. He has appeared alongside Bettel at a number of official events, including the royal wedding of Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie in 2012.

“What is known is that it was Destenay who proposed, reportedly asking for Bettel’s hand just weeks after Luxembourg’s parliament last July became the ninth EU legislature to lift a ban on gay marriages.”

Related: Justin Trudeau appealed to French speaking countries on behalf of LGBTQ rights

According to BBC, Mr. Bettel “was keen to keep his private life out of the public spotlight,” and that the couple will not be going on a honeymoon; Bettel is expected to attend an ecomonoic forum in Kazalhstan.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

h/t: NPR