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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty designed to safeguard women from violence, including family violence, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The final decision now lies with President the nation's president, who must determine whether to approve or veto the proposed law.

Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only became active in Latvia last twelve months ago, requiring authorities to establish legal frameworks and support services to eliminate all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to initiate the procedure of exiting from the convention. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a move that human rights organizations described as a major regression for gender equality.

Ideological Debate and Resistance

The treaty was ratified by the European Union in 2023, yet conservative factions have argued that its focus on gender equality weakens family values and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy debate in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to exit from the treaty, a move sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative government leader the nation's PM, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Political Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose head has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

Latvia's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova urged the treaty not to be politicized, while the organization the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The recent vote has provoked broad outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national petition demanding the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has called a demonstration for next Thursday, accusing MPs of ignoring the wishes of the Latvian people.

International Worries and Potential Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash choice driven by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds support, the president could potentially send back the legislation for additional consideration if he holds concerns.

President Rinkevics announced on social media that he would evaluate the decision according to constitutional requirements, "considering state and legal considerations, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another component of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the supreme judicial body.

"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but throughout Europe," commented a human rights activist.

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in several European countries
• The Istanbul Convention requires particular legal protections for victims of domestic abuse
• The nation's decision could influence similar debates in other EU countries