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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's parliament members have voted to pull out from an international accord created to safeguard females from abuse, covering domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the parliament.

Thousands of demonstrators assembled in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The ultimate authority now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or veto the proposed law.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring authorities to develop legal frameworks and support services to end all forms of abuse.

Latvia has become the first EU country to initiate the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation withdrew in two years ago, a decision that rights groups characterized as a major setback for women's rights.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its focus on gender equality weakens family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Latvian parliament, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move proposed by opposition parties but backed by politicians from one of the three governing partners.

The result represents a setback for centre-right government leader Evika Silina, who joined demonstrators outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main parties advocating for the exit is Latvia First, whose head has urged the public to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

Latvia's ombudswoman the rights official urged the treaty not to be made political, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to realize them".

The recent decision has sparked widespread outcry both within the country and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a Latvian appeal calling for the treaty to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, accusing MPs of ignoring the will of the Latvian people.

International Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The head of the Council of Europe's legislative body stated that the Baltic state had made a hasty choice driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and human rights in Europe".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation left the convention in 2021, instances of femicide and violence against women had risen sharply.

Because the vote did not achieve a supermajority majority, the president could possibly send back the bill for further consideration if he holds concerns.

Head of State Rinkevics announced on digital platforms that he would assess the decision according to legal principles, "taking into account state and legal factors, rather than belief-based perspectives".

Last week, another component of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a worrisome situation for women's rights not only in our nation but across Europe," commented a human rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been rising in several EU countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could affect similar debates in additional member states