🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an international accord created to protect women from violence, covering domestic abuse, following extensive and heated discussions in the parliament.

Several thousand of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The final decision now rests with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or veto the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last twelve months ago, mandating governments to develop laws and assistance programs to eliminate all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to initiate the process of withdrawing from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a major regression for gender equality.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was ratified by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist factions have argued that its emphasis on gender equality undermines family values and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Latvian parliament, MPs decided by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the convention, a move proposed by opposition parties but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Political Disagreements and Reactions

One of the primary political groups advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

Latvia's human rights commissioner the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The recent vote has provoked broad protest both inside the country and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand individuals have endorsed a Latvian appeal demanding the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a demonstration for the coming week, charging lawmakers of ignoring the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Potential Future Actions

The leader of the European organization's legislative body commented that the Baltic state had made a hasty decision driven by false information. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and deeply concerning step backward for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

Because the vote did not secure a two-thirds support, the president could potentially return the legislation for further review if he has concerns.

President the national leader stated on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional requirements, "taking into account state and legal factors, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another component of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out appealing to the supreme judicial body.

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

• Family violence statistics have been rising in several EU nations
• The European treaty mandates specific legal protections for victims of gender-based violence
• The nation's decision could affect similar debates in other EU countries