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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty designed to protect women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters assembled in the capital this week to oppose the vote. The final authority now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must decide whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, mandating authorities to develop laws and support services to eliminate all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to initiate the process of exiting from the convention. Turkey pulled out in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations described as a significant regression for women's rights.

Political Controversy and Opposition

The treaty was approved by the EU in last year, yet conservative groups have contended that its emphasis on equal rights weakens traditional families and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs decided 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a move sponsored by opposition parties but backed by politicians from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a setback for centre-right government leader Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups supporting the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose head has called on citizens to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's human rights commissioner the rights official urged the treaty not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has sparked widespread outcry both within Latvia and internationally.

22,000 individuals have endorsed a Latvian petition calling for the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has called a demonstration for next Thursday, charging MPs of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the European organization's legislative body stated that Latvia had made a rash decision fueled by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He added that since Turkey left the convention four years ago, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds majority, the head of state could potentially send back the bill for further consideration if he has objections.

Head of State Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would assess the vote according to legal requirements, "considering governmental and judicial factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another component of the governing alliance, the Progressives, suggested it would not exclude petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This vote represents a worrisome situation for gender equality not only in our nation but across Europe," stated a rights activist.

• Family violence statistics have been rising in several EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific safeguards for survivors of domestic abuse
• The nation's vote could influence comparable discussions in additional member states