The World’s First Out Gay Head Of State Appointed In San Marino

San Marino, the world’s oldest republic, has taken another historic step this week in appointing the world’s first openly gay head of state: 58-year-old Paolo Rondelli.

Rondelli will join Oscar Mina as one of the two captains regent, San Marino’s heads of state, according to The Guardian.

Before his role as captain regent, Rondelli was an outspoken LGBTQ+ activist and a deputy in the Great and General Council, San Marino’s parliament.

The medieval city state of San Marino is located near the eastern coast of Italy and is one of Europe’s microstates – which include Andorra, Liechtenstein, Vatican City, and Monaco.

This election marks a huge step for San Marino, where up until 2004 homosexuality was a crime punishable by prison time.

In recent years San Marino has trended more towards equality with same-sex marriage becoming legally recognized there in 2016.

While San Marino might have been the first to elect an out head of state, there have been LGBTQ+ heads of government prior, including Serbian prime minister Ana Brnabić, Xavier Bettel, prime minister of Luxembourg, Iceland has Johanna Sigordottir & Ireland has Leo Varadakar & now San Marino has Paolo Rondelli.

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James Rendell

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