🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty designed to safeguard women from abuse, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate decision now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must decide whether to endorse or reject the proposed law.

Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last year, mandating governments to develop laws and support services to eliminate all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the first EU country to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations described as a significant setback for women's rights.

Ideological Debate and Opposition

The international agreement was approved by the European Union in last year, yet conservative groups have argued that its focus on gender equality weakens traditional families and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

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

The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that violence does not triumph," she declared to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the primary political groups advocating for the exit is Latvia First, whose head has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official urged the treaty not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The recent decision has provoked broad protest both within Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a Latvian appeal calling for the convention to be preserved. The women's rights organization the rights center has called a protest for the coming week, accusing lawmakers of ignoring the wishes of the Latvian people.

Global Worries and Possible Next Steps

The head of the European organization's legislative body commented that the Baltic state had made a hasty choice driven by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying regression for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He noted that since Turkey left the treaty four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a supermajority support, the head of state could potentially send back the bill for additional review if he has objections.

President the national leader stated on social media that he would assess the vote according to legal requirements, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, instead of belief-based perspectives".

Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This decision represents a worrisome development for gender equality not only in our nation but throughout Europe," stated a rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in several European countries
• The European treaty requires specific legal protections for survivors of gender-based violence
• The nation's vote could influence similar debates in additional EU countries