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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty created to protect females from violence, covering family violence, following prolonged and intense discussions in the parliament.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital this week to oppose the decision. The final authority now lies with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only became active in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, mandating governments to establish laws and support services to eliminate all forms of abuse.

The Baltic nation has become the initial EU country to initiate the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a decision that rights groups described as a significant setback for women's rights.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the EU in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have contended that its focus on equal rights weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy debate in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move proposed by political opponents but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for centre-right government leader Evika Silina, who joined demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse does not triumph," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Responses

One of the primary political groups supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose leader has urged citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

Latvia's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to national principles, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has sparked broad outcry both within Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national appeal demanding the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has called a demonstration for next Thursday, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Possible Next Steps

The head of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a hasty decision fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying regression for female equality and human rights in Europe".

He added that since Turkey left the convention in 2021, cases of femicide and violence against women had risen sharply.

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

President Rinkevics stated on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional requirements, "considering state and legal factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

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

"This decision represents a worrisome development for women's rights not only in Latvia but across Europe," commented a rights activist.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been rising in multiple EU countries
• The Istanbul Convention requires specific legal protections for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could affect similar discussions in additional EU countries