A gay politician would have better chances than a retiree of getting elected in Europe, a new survey shows. European Union citizens would prefer to elect a gay leader than have one they consider too old, a study released in Brussels revealed Tuesday, July 1. A Eurobarometer study of 27,000 EU citizens across the bloc found that just 17 percent of Europeans would be totally comfortable with someone over the age of 75 in their country's highest elected post. That is less than half than the 36 percent who would be at ease with a homosexual leader, and well below the support for a leader drawn from an ethnic minority (26 percent totally comfortable) or a different religion (30 percent totally at ease). It is also substantially below the support for a national leader who is younger than 30 -- an idea with which one in four Europeans said they were completely comfortable.
European Union citizens would prefer to elect a gay leader than have one they consider too old, a study released in Brussels revealed Tuesday, July 1.
A Eurobarometer study of 27,000 EU citizens across the bloc found that just 17 percent of Europeans would be totally comfortable with someone over the age of 75 in their country's highest elected post.
That is less than half than the 36 percent who would be at ease with a homosexual leader, and well below the support for a leader drawn from an ethnic minority (26 percent totally comfortable) or a different religion (30 percent totally at ease).
It is also substantially below the support for a national leader who is younger than 30 -- an idea with which one in four Europeans said they were completely comfortable.
