🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have voted to withdraw from an international accord designed to protect women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the parliament.

Several thousand of demonstrators gathered in the capital this week to oppose the vote. The final decision now lies with President the nation's president, who must decide whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, mandating authorities to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to initiate the procedure of exiting from the treaty. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations described as a significant setback for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its emphasis on gender equality undermines 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 withdraw from the convention, a move sponsored by political opponents but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a setback for moderate conservative government leader the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence does not triumph," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Divisions and Reactions

One of the primary parties supporting the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose head has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

Latvia's human rights commissioner the rights official urged the treaty not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has provoked widespread outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national petition calling for the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, accusing lawmakers of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Potential Future Actions

The head of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash choice driven by false information. He described it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying regression for women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He added that since Turkey abandoned the treaty four years ago, instances of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not achieve a supermajority majority, the head of state could potentially send back the legislation for additional review if he has objections.

President Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would assess the vote according to legal requirements, "considering state and legal factors, rather than ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, indicated it would not rule out appealing to the supreme judicial body.

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

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in several EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention requires particular safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's decision could influence comparable debates in other member states