Leo Varadkar, the youngest, first Indian origin PM of Ireland

In what could be called a groundbreaking move in Ireland, the country has elected a gay Prime Minister that too from an ethnic minority. Son of an Indian immigrant from Mumbai, Leo Varadkar would be the first gay Prime Minister of Ireland after outgoing PM Enda Kenny announced his resignation last month. This not only signifies the progressive outlook of Ireland, but also implies that the country has accepted its LGBT community whole-heartedly after 2015's gay marriage referendum.

38-year old Varadkar will also be the country's youngest PM. Facing a stiff challenge from Simon Coveney, the Cork-born Irish housing minister who is popular among the grassroot levels, Varadkar emerged as the victor because of his economic policies. After the final vote count was declared, he said that he was immensely delighted, humbled and honoured to win. 

Meanwhile, LGBT communities in Ireland have come out in the open congratulating him for his victory and the country's acceptance of the community. Speaking to the Guardian, Brian Finnegan, the editor of Gay Community News in Dublin said, "I think it’s really significant that both his party and the media in Ireland focused on his policies, rather than him simply being a gay man who wants to lead the country."

He further added,"It is a sign of how much Ireland has changed and moved on that no one really cares if he is gay here. Irish politicians were among the last sectors of our society to come out of the closet but now at least we’ve got one gay man and a lesbian, Catherine Zappone, both in the cabinet. That would have been unthinkable perhaps even 10 years ago.”

Varadkar is a doctor by profession and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He entered Irish politics in 2004. In the year 2014, he became the country's minister for health. 
 

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