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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have decided to pull out from an global treaty created to safeguard women from violence, including family violence, following prolonged and intense discussions in the parliament.

Several thousand of protesters assembled in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate decision now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must decide whether to endorse or reject the legislation.

Referred to as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last year, mandating authorities to develop laws and assistance programs to eliminate all types of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the first EU country to begin the process of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation withdrew in 2021, a decision that rights groups characterized as a significant setback for gender equality.

Ideological Controversy and Opposition

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

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted 56 to 32 to exit from the treaty, a action sponsored by opposition parties but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a defeat for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that violence does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the primary parties supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose head has urged the public to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization the rights organization asserted it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The Thursday's vote has sparked broad outcry both inside the country and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a Latvian petition calling for the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group Centrs Marta has called a demonstration for next Thursday, accusing MPs of ignoring the will of the nation's citizens.

International Worries and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the Council of Europe's legislative body stated that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven 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, instances of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

Because the vote did not achieve a supermajority support, the president could possibly return the legislation for further consideration if he has objections.

Head of State the national leader announced on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional principles, "considering governmental and judicial factors, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another component of the governing alliance, the Progressives, indicated it would not rule out appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a worrisome situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but across the continent," commented a rights activist.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been increasing in several EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific legal protections for survivors of gender-based violence
• Latvia's decision could influence similar discussions in other member states