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Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettell Marries Partner Gauthier Destenay

On Friday,  Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel married his partner, Gauthier Destenay, in a private ceremony. Bettell is the first leader in the European Union to enter into a same-sex marriage.

Related: Luxembourg's Prime Minister Is Marrying His Boyfriend This Week

He's also only the third openly gay world leader in history, following Iceland's lesbian prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir and Belgium’s Elio Di Rupo.

Current Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he had come for a "mate's wedding", and added that the event was a "big moment" for Europe and the world.

The newlyweds received cheers from more than 100 well-wishers outside their low-key ceremony at the Luxembourg town hall. "Thank you to all Luxembourgers," Bettel said as the crowd threw confetti and rice.

Luxembourg's parliament only approved same-sex marriage in June 2014 and the first weddings took place in January.

"Luxembourg is giving the image of a country that is advanced on social issues," said journalist Stephane Bern, a friend of the couple. "That is an important message sent at a time when homophobia is on the rise in Europe."

On Thursday, Bettel told Belgium's RTBF TV that he made a decision early on not to hide his sexuality.

"I could have hidden it or repressed it and been unhappy my whole life," he said. "I could have had relations with someone of the other sex while having homosexual relations in secret.  But I told myself that if you want to be a politician, be honest in politics, you have to be honest with yourself and to accept that you are who you are."

A politician who believes in honesty—who knew?

Last night he tweeted his thanks and encouraged readers to embrace life.

Thanks for all your kind messages. We just have one life, live it.

— Bettel Xavier (@Xavier_Bettel) May 16, 2015

Bettel and Destenay will celebrate throughout the weekend but have postponed their honeymoon because of Bettel's busy schedule.

h/t: Aljazeera

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