On This Day
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Latvia elects its Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics as President - first openly gay leader of a Baltic state [1]

Edgars Rinkēvičs is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023.

Edgars Rinkēvičs is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023. He previously served as the minister of foreign affairs of Latvia from 2011 to 2023, and head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia as state secretary of the Ministry of Defence, as well as a deputy of the Saeima. Upon taking office as president, Rinkēvičs became the first openly gay head of state in a European Union country.

Prior to becoming president, Rinkēvičs had represented Latvian Way, Reform Party, and the Unity party since May 2014. He left Unity after being elected president as it is customarily expected in Latvia for presidents to maintain political neutrality.

Historical Significance

Edgars Rinkēvičs is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023.

Events Before

  1. Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan becomes the first player in NBA history to hit buzzer-beaters on consecutive days; h

    Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan becomes the first player in NBA history to hit buzzer-beaters on consecutive days; he hits 3-pointers to beat the Washington Wizards 120-119 and the previous night the Indiana Pacers 108-106

  2. Actors Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa divorce after four years of marriage

    Actors Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa divorce after four years of marriage

  3. Russia launches a full-scale pre-dawn and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by land, air, and sea, with bombings in several

    Russia launches a full-scale pre-dawn and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by land, air, and sea, with bombings in several cities. Moments later, Vladimir Putin announces the start of a three-day “special military operation” in Ukraine to "demilitarize" the country. [1]

  4. In a major victory for Ukraine, Russia announces it is withdrawing its badly mauled forces from around Ukraine's capital

    In a major victory for Ukraine, Russia announces it is withdrawing its badly mauled forces from around Ukraine's capital, Kyiv

  5. "Top Gun Maverick" the sequel starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly is released 36 years after the ori

    "Top Gun Maverick" the sequel starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly is released 36 years after the original film

Events After

  1. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Japan's western coast, killing an estimated 120 people and injuring more than 100

    A magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Japan's western coast, killing an estimated 120 people and injuring more than 100

  2. English singer Elton John wins an Emmy Award for the television special "Elton John: Farewell From Dodger Stadium", comp

    English singer Elton John wins an Emmy Award for the television special "Elton John: Farewell From Dodger Stadium", completing his EGOT (winning all four major American entertainment awards)

  3. Denis Villeneuve's science fiction film epic "Dune: Part Two" premieres in Mexico City, starring Timothée Chalamet and a

    Denis Villeneuve's science fiction film epic "Dune: Part Two" premieres in Mexico City, starring Timothée Chalamet and an ensemble cast

  4. LeBron James becomes the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 regular-season points as his LA Lakers slip to a 12

    LeBron James becomes the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 regular-season points as his LA Lakers slip to a 124-114 defeat to Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles

  5. New rule limiting tailpipe pollution aimed at greatly expanding electric vehicles in the US is announced by President Jo

    New rule limiting tailpipe pollution aimed at greatly expanding electric vehicles in the US is announced by President Joe Biden [1]

More from the 2020s

Pro-Iranian protesters end siege of US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq

Pro-Iranian protesters end siege of US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq

Scotland's Peter Wright beats Dutch defending champion Michael Van Gerwen 7-3 with a 102.79 average, 34 x 140s, 11 maxim

Scotland's Peter Wright beats Dutch defending champion Michael Van Gerwen 7-3 with a 102.79 average, 34 x 140s, 11 maximums, and 53% on doubles to seal his first PDC World Darts Championship in London

Cuba's "day zero" unifies its two currencies by withdrawing the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), alongside steep increases

Cuba's "day zero" unifies its two currencies by withdrawing the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), alongside steep increases in prices and salaries, effectively devaluing the remaining Cuban Peso for the first time since 1959 [1]

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan becomes the first player in NBA history to hit buzzer-beaters on consecutive days; h

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan becomes the first player in NBA history to hit buzzer-beaters on consecutive days; he hits 3-pointers to beat the Washington Wizards 120-119 and the previous night the Indiana Pacers 108-106

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 31, 2023?
Edgars Rinkēvičs is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023. He previously served as the minister of foreign affairs of Latvia from 2011 to 2023, and head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia as state secretary of the Ministry of Defence, as well as a deputy of the Saeima. Upon taking office as president, Rinkēvičs became the first openly gay head of state in a European Union country.
Why is Latvia elects its Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics as President - first open... significant?
Edgars Rinkēvičs is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023.

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May 31 in HistoryYear 2023