Latvia’s long-serving foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics has become the first openly gay head of state of a European Union nation. Mr Rinkevics, who had served as foreign minister since 2011, was sworn in as Latvia’s president on Saturday in Riga. Although generally a ceremonial position, Latvia’s president can veto legislation and call referendums. The EU has had openly gay heads of governments before, but never a gay head of state. In many countries, the heads of state and heads of government are different people – for example a president and prime minister. Former Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Rupo was the EU’s first openly gay head of government.