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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have voted to withdraw from an global treaty designed to safeguard females from abuse, covering domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Riga this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate decision now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or reject the legislation.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, mandating governments to establish laws and assistance programs to end all types of violence.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to begin the process of exiting from the convention. Turkey withdrew in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a major regression for gender equality.

Ideological Debate and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet conservative groups have contended that its focus on gender equality undermines family values and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but backed by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who joined protesters outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that violence will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has urged the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology 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 threat to national principles, it served as a tool to realize them".

The Thursday's vote has provoked broad protest both inside Latvia and abroad.

22,000 people have endorsed a Latvian appeal demanding the treaty to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has called a demonstration for the coming week, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

International Worries and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the Council of Europe's legislative body stated that the Baltic state had made a rash decision 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 added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, instances of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a supermajority support, the head of state could potentially send back the bill for further review if he holds concerns.

President Rinkevics announced on digital platforms that he would assess the decision according to legal requirements, "taking into account state and legal factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another member 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 gender equality not only in our nation but across Europe," stated a human rights activist.

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in multiple EU countries
• The Istanbul Convention requires particular safeguards for survivors of domestic abuse
• The nation's vote could affect similar debates in additional member states