🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty designed to safeguard women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Several thousand of protesters assembled in Riga this past week to oppose the vote. The ultimate decision now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must decide whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Referred to as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating authorities to establish laws and assistance programs to eliminate all types of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the first European Union member to initiate the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in 2021, a move that human rights organizations described as a significant regression for gender equality.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the EU in 2023, yet conservative factions have argued that its focus on equal rights weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Latvian parliament, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to exit from the treaty, a move proposed by political opponents but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Divisions and Responses

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

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova urged the treaty not to be made political, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread protest both within Latvia and abroad.

22,000 individuals have signed a national appeal demanding the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has announced a demonstration for the coming week, charging MPs of disregarding the will of the Latvian people.

Global Worries and Potential Future Actions

The head of the Council of Europe's legislative body commented that the Baltic state had made a hasty decision fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and deeply concerning regression for female equality and human rights in Europe".

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

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds majority, the head of state could potentially send back the bill for further consideration if he has concerns.

Head of State the national leader stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional requirements, "taking into account state and legal factors, rather than belief-based perspectives".

Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, suggested it would not rule out appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This decision represents a worrisome situation for women's rights not only in our nation but across Europe," commented a human rights activist.

• Family violence rates have been rising in multiple EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's decision could influence comparable discussions in other member states