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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty designed to safeguard females from abuse, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the legislature.

Several thousand of protesters assembled in Riga this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The final authority now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or veto the legislation.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the international accord only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating governments to develop laws and assistance programs to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation withdrew in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a significant setback for women's rights.

Political Debate and Resistance

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

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Saeima, MPs voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a action proposed by opposition parties but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a setback for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.

Political Disagreements and Responses

One of the primary political groups supporting the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose leader has urged citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

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

The recent decision has sparked widespread protest both inside Latvia and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a Latvian petition demanding the treaty to be preserved. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a demonstration for next Thursday, accusing MPs of ignoring the wishes of the Latvian people.

International Worries and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that the Baltic state had made a hasty decision fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning step backward for female equality and human rights in the continent".

He noted that since Turkey abandoned the convention four years ago, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a supermajority majority, the president could potentially return the bill for further review if he has concerns.

Head of State the national leader stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the decision according to constitutional principles, "taking into account governmental and judicial factors, rather than belief-based perspectives".

Recently, another component of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the Constitutional Court.

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

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in multiple EU countries
• The European treaty requires specific legal protections for survivors of domestic abuse
• Latvia's decision could influence similar debates in additional EU countries