Xavier Bettel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Xavier Bettel
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Bettel in 2023
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| 14th Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Luc Frieden |
| Preceded by | François Bausch Paulette Lenert |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Luc Frieden |
| Preceded by | Jean Asselborn |
| President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Gabrielius Landsbergis |
| 24th Prime Minister of Luxembourg | |
| In office 4 December 2013 – 17 November 2023 |
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| Monarch | Henri |
| Deputy | Étienne Schneider Félix Braz François Bausch Dan Kersch Paulette Lenert |
| Preceded by | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Succeeded by | Luc Frieden |
| Minister for Communications and Media | |
| In office 4 December 2013 – 17 November 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Luc Frieden |
| Succeeded by | Elisabeth Margue |
| Mayor of Luxembourg City | |
| In office 24 November 2011 – 4 December 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Helminger |
| Succeeded by | Lydie Polfer |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 13 July 1999 – 4 December 2013 |
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| Succeeded by | Frank Colabianchi |
| Constituency | Centre |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 March 1973 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |
| Nationality | Luxembourger |
| Political party | Democratic Party (1988–present) |
| Spouse |
Gauthier Destenay
(m. 2015) |
| Alma mater | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Nancy 2 University |
| Profession | |
Xavier Bettel (born 3 March 1973) is a lawyer and politician from Luxembourg. He currently serves as the 14th Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg. He is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He has held these roles since 2023.
Before this, he was the 24th prime minister of Luxembourg. He served as Prime Minister from 2013 to 2023. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies (like a parliament) from 1999 to 2013. He also served as the mayor of Luxembourg City from 2011 to 2013.
Bettel is a member of the Democratic Party (DP). After the 2013 general election, he became Prime Minister. He took over from Jean-Claude Juncker. Bettel was the youngest Prime Minister ever in Luxembourg, starting at age 40. He also became the first openly gay prime minister in the world to serve a second term. This happened after the 2018 election.
In 2023, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. This was part of the Frieden-Bettel Government. He is often seen as a very popular politician in Luxembourg.
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Early Life and Education
Xavier Bettel was born in Luxembourg City on 3 March 1973. His father was a wine merchant. His mother, Aniela, is related to the famous Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Bettel went to school in Thionville, France. He then studied law at Nancy 2 University in France. He also studied maritime law in Greece at Aristotle University. This was part of the Erasmus Programme. In the early 2000s, he hosted a weekly talk show called Sonndes em 8. It was on a TV network called T.TV.
Starting in Politics (1999-2013)
In 1999, Bettel was elected to the communal council of Luxembourg City. This is like a local city council. Two years later, in 2001, he became a certified lawyer. In 2005, he was appointed échevin (alderman) in the city council.
After the municipal elections in 2011, Bettel became the Mayor of Luxembourg City. He was sworn in on 24 November 2011. He then stepped down from his role as the leader of the DP in the Chamber of Deputies.
Serving in Parliament (1999-2013)
Bettel first ran for the Chamber of Deputies in 1999. This is Luxembourg's national parliament. He was not directly elected at first. However, some members of his party took government jobs. This opened up seats. So, Bettel was appointed to the Chamber of Deputies in August 1999.
By the time of the 2004 general election, he was much more established. He was directly elected to the Chamber of Deputies that year.
Prime Minister of Luxembourg (2013–2023)
First Term as Prime Minister
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In 2013, Xavier Bettel became the leader of the Democratic Party. After the 2013 general election, he was chosen by Grand Duke Henri to form the next government. He became Luxembourg's Prime Minister on 4 December 2013.
His government was a coalition of three parties. These were the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), and The Greens. He also held other important roles. These included Minister of State and Minister for Communications and Media.
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Second Term as Prime Minister
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After the 2018 election, Bettel was re-elected. This made him the first openly gay prime minister in the world to be re-elected for a second term. His second government started on 5 December 2018. It was a continuation of the same three-party coalition.
One major change during his second term happened on 29 February 2020. All public transport in Luxembourg became free of charge. This was a result of his government's plans.
Deputy Prime Minister (2023–Present)
In 2023, after the 2023 election, a new government was formed. It was a coalition between the CSV and the DP. Luc Frieden became the new Prime Minister.
Xavier Bettel was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. He is now in charge of foreign and European affairs. He also handles development cooperation and foreign trade.
Personal Life
Xavier Bettel is openly gay. He has said that in Luxembourg, people generally do not care if someone is gay or not. He was Luxembourg's first openly gay Prime Minister. He was also one of the first openly gay heads of government in the world.
Bettel married Gauthier Destenay in 2015. This was the same year that same-sex marriage became legal in Luxembourg.
Honours and Awards
Xavier Bettel has received many awards and honours from different countries. These show his important work and good relationships with other nations.
| Award or decoration | Country | Date | |
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| Ribbon | Name | ||
_-_Crosses.svg){kind=small} |
Order of Civil Merit |  Spain |
2007 |
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Order of Orange-Nassau (Knight Grand Officer) |  Netherlands |
2012 |
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Order of the Oak Crown (Knight Grand cross) |  Luxembourg |
2014 |
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Order of the Legion of Honour (Commander) |  France |
2015 |
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Order of the Crown (Knight Grand Cross) |  Belgium |
2017 |
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Order of Prince Henry (Grand Cross) |  Portugal |
2017 |
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Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Grand Cross) |  Estonia |
2018 |
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Order of Orange-Nassau (Knight Grand Cross) | Netherlands |
2018 |
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Order of the Republic of Serbia (Grand Cross) |  Serbia |
2020 |
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Order of Makarios III (Grand Cross) |  Cyprus |
2022 |
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Order of Honour (Grand Cross) |  Greece |
2023 |
See also
- Bettel I (2013–2018)
- Bettel II (2018–2023)
- List of openly LGBT heads of state and government
- List of the first LGBT holders of political offices
