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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, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of demonstrators assembled in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The ultimate authority now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Referred to as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last twelve months ago, mandating authorities to establish legal frameworks and support services to end all types of violence.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to begin the procedure of exiting from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a decision that rights groups described as a major regression for women's rights.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the EU in last year, yet conservative groups have argued that its emphasis on equal rights undermines family values and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy debate in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move sponsored by political opponents but backed by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a setback for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the main political groups supporting the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has urged citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

Latvia's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the treaty not to be made political, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The recent decision has sparked widespread protest both inside the country and abroad.

22,000 people have endorsed a national petition calling for the convention to be preserved. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, charging lawmakers of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Potential Future Actions

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning step backward for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He added that since the transcontinental nation left the convention in 2021, instances of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not secure a two-thirds support, the head of state could potentially send back the legislation for additional consideration if he has objections.

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

Recently, another component of the governing alliance, the reformist party, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the supreme judicial body.

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

• Family violence rates have been increasing in several European countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates particular legal protections for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's vote could affect comparable discussions in additional member states