“Hear instruction, get wisdom, and do not forsake it.”
[Jul.12.2023] In Eastern Europe, where strongly religious and conservative, the birth of a “homosexual president” attracts attention. According to the Associated Press on the 8th (local time), the new Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs (49) of the New United Party, a pro-Western centrist party, was sworn in as Latvia’s president on Saturday in Riga.
President Edgars Rinkēvičs, who had served as foreign minister since 2011, was elected as the 7th president of Latvia and the successor to former President Egils Levits in an election held in parliament last May.
President Rinkēvičs who has taken a hard line against Russia and supported Ukraine, first came out via Twitter in 2014 that he is gay. The Associated Press noted that he is one of Europe’s few gay heads of state.
Although Latvia and neighbouring countries that were members of the former Soviet Union have traditionally been less tolerant of gay people than in Western Europe, president Rinkēvičs explained that he won the support of the Latvian people by serving as the longest-serving foreign minister in history.
The UPI news agency also reported that it was the first case in which President Rinkēvičs became head of state of a member state of the European Union (EU) even after disclosing that he was gay.
Latvia, which became an independent democratic state in 1991 right before the collapse of the Soviet Union, adopted a cabinet responsibility system, in which the prime minister oversees state administration and the cabinet. For this reason, the president, as head of state, performs symbolic tasks such as approving legislation, appointing a prime minister, and receiving diplomatic envoys, while playing a role in leading national unity in Latvia, where the proportion of Russian descent accounts for nearly one-third of the total population.
In his inaugural address, President Rinkēvičs devoted a considerable amount of time to Russia and Ukraine. He said that Latvia’s diplomatic and security stance would not change, saying,” (Baltic countries) will support a strong and effective North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”
“Russia’s war and genocide in Ukraine have created a new and harsh reality,” he said. “We will continue to support the heroic struggle of Ukrainians until Ukraine achieves final victory, and we will fight against Russian imperialism and evil world ideology,” he stressed.
The post of foreign minister, which has been vacated by the inauguration of President Rinkēvičs, will be held concurrently by Prime Minister Krishanis Karinshu until a successor is decided, the Latvian government said. Both Prime Minister Karinsch and President Rinkēvičs belong to the New United Party (Source: Yonhap News).
By me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth. “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. (Proverbs 8:16,32-33)
God, I pray for Latvia’s new president Rinkēvičs, so that he may turn from darkness and rule the country as a leader of Your righteousness. For the true strength of a leader is to listen to Your admonition and gain wisdom, so that he would turn away from the sin of rebelling against God according to the lust of the body and be proud of the power of the cross. May You hold the church of this country that stands on Christian values more powerfully so that it may not be swept away by the tide of the world and pray for the people to protect their holiness and awe and gain life.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
