Luxembourg's prime minister is the first EU leader to tie the knot in same-sex marriage

Luxembourg’s prime minister married his partner of several years on Friday, becoming the first EU leader to get hitched to someone of the same sex.

Prime minister Xavier Bettel (right) and Belgian architect Gauthier Destenay were among the first people to marry under a new law recognising gay marriages in Luxembourg which came into force in January (civil partnerships have been legal since 2004).

The couple tied the knot in Luxembourg City and were greeted by a cheering crowd of well-wishers after the private ceremony.

Bettel hugged Destenay and told the gathering, "Luxembourg can set an example."

The prime minister is a left-wing politician whose election 18 months ago was a sign of change in the traditionally conservative Catholic country.

The 2015 law, which made Luxembourg the 12th EU country to legalise same-sex marriage, was passed by an overwhelming majority.

Former prime minister of Iceland Johanna Sigurdardottir married her female partner while she was in office in 2010, but the country is not an EU member.

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