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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have decided to withdraw from an global treaty designed to protect females from violence, including domestic abuse, following extensive and intense discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to oppose the decision. The final decision now rests with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to endorse or veto the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating governments to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to initiate the procedure of exiting from the convention. The transcontinental nation withdrew in 2021, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a significant setback for women's rights.

Political Debate and Opposition

The treaty was ratified by the European Union in 2023, yet conservative groups have contended that its focus on gender equality weakens traditional families and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, MPs voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a action proposed by political opponents but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who joined demonstrators outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she declared to the assembly.

Ideological Divisions and Reactions

One of the main political groups supporting the exit is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it served as a tool to realize them".

The recent decision has provoked widespread outcry both inside the country and internationally.

22,000 people have signed a Latvian petition demanding the convention to be preserved. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for next Thursday, accusing lawmakers of ignoring the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the Council of Europe's legislative body stated that the Baltic state had made a hasty choice driven by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and human rights in the continent".

He noted that since Turkey abandoned the treaty four years ago, cases of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not secure a supermajority support, the president could potentially return the legislation for additional consideration if he holds concerns.

President the national leader announced on digital platforms that he would assess the vote according to legal principles, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, instead of belief-based perspectives".

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

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

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in several EU countries
• The European treaty mandates particular legal protections for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could influence comparable discussions in other EU countries