This is a list of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans ( LGBT) people who have been the head of state or government of a country or a subnational division such as a state, a province, or a territory. Openly LGBT people have served as national heads of state or government in Andorra, Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, San Marino, and Serbia.
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paolo Rondelli | San Marino | 33,627 (2021 estimate) | Captain Regent | RETE Movement | 1 April 2022 | 1 October 2022 | 183 days | Gay [1] | |
Edgars Rinkēvičs | Latvia | 1,827,533 (2023 estimate) | President | Unity | 8 July 2023 | Incumbent | 294 days | Gay [2] [3] |
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir | Iceland | 315,556 (2011 census) | Prime Minister | Social Democratic Alliance | 1 February 2009 | 23 May 2013 | 4 years, 111 days | Lesbian [4] | |
Elio Di Rupo | Belgium | 11,000,638 (2011 census) | Prime Minister | Socialist Party | 6 December 2011 | 11 October 2014 | 2 years, 309 days | Gay [5] | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | 660,804 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 4 December 2013 | 17 November 2023 | 9 years, 348 days | Gay [6] | |
Leo Varadkar | Ireland | 5,149,139 (2022 census) | Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 3 years, 13 days | Gay [7] | |
17 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | 1 year, 114 days | |||||||
Ana Brnabić | Serbia | 6,926,705 (2020 estimate) | Prime Minister | Progressive Party | 29 June 2017 | 20 March 2024 | 6 years, 265 days | Lesbian [8] | |
Xavier Espot Zamora | Andorra | 81,588 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Democrats for Andorra | 16 May 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 347 days | Gay [9] | |
Gabriel Attal | France | 68,042,591 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Renaissance | 9 January 2024 | Incumbent | 109 days | Gay [10] |
Some openly LGBT people have also served as deputy prime ministers, or an analogous office, who may take the position of the acting head of government when they are temporarily absent.
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guido Westerwelle | Germany | 80,200,000 (2011 census) | Vice-Chancellor | Free Democratic Party | 28 October 2009 | 16 May 2011 | 1 year, 200 days | Gay | |
Etienne Schneider | Luxembourg | 604,245 (2018 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Socialist Workers' Party | 4 December 2013 | 4 February 2020 | 6 years, 62 days | Gay | |
Kajsa Ollongren | Netherlands | 17,590,672 (2022 estimate) | Second Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 26 October 2017 | 1 November 2019 | 2 years, 6 days | Lesbian | |
14 May 2020 | 10 January 2022 | 1 year, 241 days | |||||||
Petra De Sutter | Belgium | 11,492,641 (2020 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Groen | 1 October 2020 | Incumbent | 3 years, 209 days | Trans woman | |
Grant Robertson | New Zealand | 5,136,220 (2022 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Labour Party | 6 November 2020 | 25 January 2023 | 2 years, 80 days | Gay | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | 660,804 (2023 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 17 November 2023 | Incumbent | 162 days | Gay | |
Rob Jetten | Netherlands | 18,008,200 (2024 estimate) | First Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 8 January 2024 | Incumbent | 110 days | Gay |
Name | Portrait | Entity | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Dunstan | South Australia | Australia | Premier | Labor | 1 June 1967 | 17 April 1968 | 321 days | Bisexual | |
2 June 1970 | 15 February 1979 | 8 years, 258 days | |||||||
Jerónimo Saavedra [a] | Canary Islands | Spain | President | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | 29 November 1982 | 4 July 1987 | 4 years, 217 days | Gay | |
11 July 1991 | 2 April 1993 | 1 year, 265 days | |||||||
Gustavo Álvarez Gardeazábal | Valle del Cauca | Colombia | Governor | Independent | 1 January 1998 | 27 July 1999 | 1 year, 207 days | Gay | |
Elio Di Rupo | Wallonia | Belgium | Minister-President | Socialist Party | 15 July 1999 | 4 April 2000 | 264 days | Gay | |
6 October 2005 | 20 July 2007 | 1 year, 287 days | |||||||
13 September 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 227 days | |||||||
Jan Franssen | South Holland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 3 May 2000 | 1 January 2014 | 13 years, 243 days | Gay | |
Klaus Wowereit | Berlin | Germany | Governing Mayor | Social Democratic Party of Germany | 16 June 2001 | 11 December 2014 | 13 years, 178 days | Gay | |
Ole von Beust | Hamburg | Germany | First Mayor | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | 31 October 2001 | 25 August 2010 | 8 years, 298 days | Gay | |
Jim McGreevey | New Jersey | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 15 January 2002 | 15 November 2004 | 2 years, 305 days | Gay | |
Nichi Vendola | Apulia | Italy | President | Communist Refoundation Party | 4 April 2005 | 1 June 2015 | 10 years, 58 days | Gay | |
Clemens Cornielje | Gelderland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 31 August 2005 | 6 February 2019 | 13 years, 159 days | Gay | |
Lynne Brown | Western Cape | South Africa | Premier | African National Congress | 25 July 2008 | 6 May 2009 | 315 days | Lesbian | |
Allan Bell | Isle of Man | United Kingdom | Chief Minister | Independent | 11 October 2011 | 4 October 2016 | 4 years, 359 days | Gay | |
Martin Klöti | St. Gallen | Switzerland | Member of the Executive Council | The Liberals | 1 June 2012 | 31 May 2020 | 7 years, 365 days | Gay | |
Rosario Crocetta | Sicily | Italy | President | Democratic Party | 10 November 2012 | 18 November 2017 | 5 years, 8 days | Gay | |
Kathleen Wynne | Ontario | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 11 February 2013 | 29 June 2018 | 5 years, 116 days | Lesbian | |
Andrew Barr | Australian Capital Territory | Australia | Chief Minister | Labor | 11 December 2014 | Incumbent | 9 years, 138 days | Gay | |
Kate Brown | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 18 February 2015 | 9 January 2023 | 7 years, 325 days | Bisexual | |
Wade MacLauchlan | Prince Edward Island | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 23 February 2015 | 9 May 2019 | 4 years, 75 days | Gay | |
Niluka Ekanayake | Central Province | Sri Lanka | Governor | Independent | 17 March 2016 | 11 April 2018 | 2 years, 25 days | Trans woman | |
Sabaragamuwa Province | Governor | 12 April 2018 | 31 December 2018 | 263 days | |||||
Arno Brok | Friesland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 1 March 2017 | Incumbent | 7 years, 57 days | Gay | |
Eduardo Leite | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | Governor | Brazilian Social Democracy Party | 1 January 2019 | 31 March 2022 | 3 years, 89 days | Gay | |
1 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 117 days | |||||||
Fátima Bezerra | Rio Grande do Norte | Brazil | Governor | Workers' Party | 1 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 117 days | Lesbian | |
Jared Polis | Colorado | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 8 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 110 days | Gay | |
Gustavo Melella | Tierra del Fuego | Argentina | Governor | FORJA Concertation Party | 17 December 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 132 days | Gay | |
Claudia López Hernández | Bogotá | Colombia | Mayor | Green Alliance | 1 January 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 117 days | Lesbian | |
Maura Healey | Massachusetts | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 5 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 113 days | Lesbian | |
Tina Kotek | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 9 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 109 days | Lesbian |
Politicians who were closeted while in office and never officially came out or were outed only after their deaths or retirement include:
This is a list of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans ( LGBT) people who have been the head of state or government of a country or a subnational division such as a state, a province, or a territory. Openly LGBT people have served as national heads of state or government in Andorra, Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, San Marino, and Serbia.
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paolo Rondelli | San Marino | 33,627 (2021 estimate) | Captain Regent | RETE Movement | 1 April 2022 | 1 October 2022 | 183 days | Gay [1] | |
Edgars Rinkēvičs | Latvia | 1,827,533 (2023 estimate) | President | Unity | 8 July 2023 | Incumbent | 294 days | Gay [2] [3] |
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir | Iceland | 315,556 (2011 census) | Prime Minister | Social Democratic Alliance | 1 February 2009 | 23 May 2013 | 4 years, 111 days | Lesbian [4] | |
Elio Di Rupo | Belgium | 11,000,638 (2011 census) | Prime Minister | Socialist Party | 6 December 2011 | 11 October 2014 | 2 years, 309 days | Gay [5] | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | 660,804 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 4 December 2013 | 17 November 2023 | 9 years, 348 days | Gay [6] | |
Leo Varadkar | Ireland | 5,149,139 (2022 census) | Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 3 years, 13 days | Gay [7] | |
17 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | 1 year, 114 days | |||||||
Ana Brnabić | Serbia | 6,926,705 (2020 estimate) | Prime Minister | Progressive Party | 29 June 2017 | 20 March 2024 | 6 years, 265 days | Lesbian [8] | |
Xavier Espot Zamora | Andorra | 81,588 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Democrats for Andorra | 16 May 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 347 days | Gay [9] | |
Gabriel Attal | France | 68,042,591 (2023 estimate) | Prime Minister | Renaissance | 9 January 2024 | Incumbent | 109 days | Gay [10] |
Some openly LGBT people have also served as deputy prime ministers, or an analogous office, who may take the position of the acting head of government when they are temporarily absent.
Name | Portrait | Country | National population (while in office) |
Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guido Westerwelle | Germany | 80,200,000 (2011 census) | Vice-Chancellor | Free Democratic Party | 28 October 2009 | 16 May 2011 | 1 year, 200 days | Gay | |
Etienne Schneider | Luxembourg | 604,245 (2018 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Socialist Workers' Party | 4 December 2013 | 4 February 2020 | 6 years, 62 days | Gay | |
Kajsa Ollongren | Netherlands | 17,590,672 (2022 estimate) | Second Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 26 October 2017 | 1 November 2019 | 2 years, 6 days | Lesbian | |
14 May 2020 | 10 January 2022 | 1 year, 241 days | |||||||
Petra De Sutter | Belgium | 11,492,641 (2020 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Groen | 1 October 2020 | Incumbent | 3 years, 209 days | Trans woman | |
Grant Robertson | New Zealand | 5,136,220 (2022 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Labour Party | 6 November 2020 | 25 January 2023 | 2 years, 80 days | Gay | |
Xavier Bettel | Luxembourg | 660,804 (2023 estimate) | Deputy Prime Minister | Democratic Party | 17 November 2023 | Incumbent | 162 days | Gay | |
Rob Jetten | Netherlands | 18,008,200 (2024 estimate) | First Deputy Prime Minister | Democrats 66 | 8 January 2024 | Incumbent | 110 days | Gay |
Name | Portrait | Entity | Country | Office | Political party | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length | Sexual orientation/ gender identity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Dunstan | South Australia | Australia | Premier | Labor | 1 June 1967 | 17 April 1968 | 321 days | Bisexual | |
2 June 1970 | 15 February 1979 | 8 years, 258 days | |||||||
Jerónimo Saavedra [a] | Canary Islands | Spain | President | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | 29 November 1982 | 4 July 1987 | 4 years, 217 days | Gay | |
11 July 1991 | 2 April 1993 | 1 year, 265 days | |||||||
Gustavo Álvarez Gardeazábal | Valle del Cauca | Colombia | Governor | Independent | 1 January 1998 | 27 July 1999 | 1 year, 207 days | Gay | |
Elio Di Rupo | Wallonia | Belgium | Minister-President | Socialist Party | 15 July 1999 | 4 April 2000 | 264 days | Gay | |
6 October 2005 | 20 July 2007 | 1 year, 287 days | |||||||
13 September 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 227 days | |||||||
Jan Franssen | South Holland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 3 May 2000 | 1 January 2014 | 13 years, 243 days | Gay | |
Klaus Wowereit | Berlin | Germany | Governing Mayor | Social Democratic Party of Germany | 16 June 2001 | 11 December 2014 | 13 years, 178 days | Gay | |
Ole von Beust | Hamburg | Germany | First Mayor | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | 31 October 2001 | 25 August 2010 | 8 years, 298 days | Gay | |
Jim McGreevey | New Jersey | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 15 January 2002 | 15 November 2004 | 2 years, 305 days | Gay | |
Nichi Vendola | Apulia | Italy | President | Communist Refoundation Party | 4 April 2005 | 1 June 2015 | 10 years, 58 days | Gay | |
Clemens Cornielje | Gelderland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 31 August 2005 | 6 February 2019 | 13 years, 159 days | Gay | |
Lynne Brown | Western Cape | South Africa | Premier | African National Congress | 25 July 2008 | 6 May 2009 | 315 days | Lesbian | |
Allan Bell | Isle of Man | United Kingdom | Chief Minister | Independent | 11 October 2011 | 4 October 2016 | 4 years, 359 days | Gay | |
Martin Klöti | St. Gallen | Switzerland | Member of the Executive Council | The Liberals | 1 June 2012 | 31 May 2020 | 7 years, 365 days | Gay | |
Rosario Crocetta | Sicily | Italy | President | Democratic Party | 10 November 2012 | 18 November 2017 | 5 years, 8 days | Gay | |
Kathleen Wynne | Ontario | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 11 February 2013 | 29 June 2018 | 5 years, 116 days | Lesbian | |
Andrew Barr | Australian Capital Territory | Australia | Chief Minister | Labor | 11 December 2014 | Incumbent | 9 years, 138 days | Gay | |
Kate Brown | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 18 February 2015 | 9 January 2023 | 7 years, 325 days | Bisexual | |
Wade MacLauchlan | Prince Edward Island | Canada | Premier | Liberal Party | 23 February 2015 | 9 May 2019 | 4 years, 75 days | Gay | |
Niluka Ekanayake | Central Province | Sri Lanka | Governor | Independent | 17 March 2016 | 11 April 2018 | 2 years, 25 days | Trans woman | |
Sabaragamuwa Province | Governor | 12 April 2018 | 31 December 2018 | 263 days | |||||
Arno Brok | Friesland | Netherlands | King's Commissioner | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 1 March 2017 | Incumbent | 7 years, 57 days | Gay | |
Eduardo Leite | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | Governor | Brazilian Social Democracy Party | 1 January 2019 | 31 March 2022 | 3 years, 89 days | Gay | |
1 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 117 days | |||||||
Fátima Bezerra | Rio Grande do Norte | Brazil | Governor | Workers' Party | 1 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 117 days | Lesbian | |
Jared Polis | Colorado | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 8 January 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 110 days | Gay | |
Gustavo Melella | Tierra del Fuego | Argentina | Governor | FORJA Concertation Party | 17 December 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 132 days | Gay | |
Claudia López Hernández | Bogotá | Colombia | Mayor | Green Alliance | 1 January 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 117 days | Lesbian | |
Maura Healey | Massachusetts | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 5 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 113 days | Lesbian | |
Tina Kotek | Oregon | United States | Governor | Democratic Party | 9 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 109 days | Lesbian |
Politicians who were closeted while in office and never officially came out or were outed only after their deaths or retirement include: