European Union Citizens: We'd Rather Have A Gay Leader Than A Grey One

According to a survey of 27,000 citizens of European Union nations, they'd rather elect a gay leader than one who is elderly, a minority, or of a different religion.

According to the Eurobarometer study of 27,000 EU citizens across the bloc, just 17 per cent of Europeans would be totally comfortable with someone over the age of 75 in their country's highest elected post. European Union citizens would prefer to elect a gay leader than have one they consider too old, a study released in Brussels has revealed.

That is less than half than the 36 per cent who would be at ease with a homosexual leader, and well below the support for a leader drawn from an ethnic minority (26 per cent totally comfortable) or a different religion (30 per cent 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.