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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to withdraw from an international accord created to protect women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The final authority now lies with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to endorse or reject the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only became active in the Baltic state last year, mandating authorities to develop legal frameworks and support services to eliminate all forms of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the initial EU country to begin the process of exiting from the treaty. The transcontinental nation withdrew in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations described as a major regression for women's rights.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its focus on gender equality undermines family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy debate in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action proposed by opposition parties but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for centre-right government leader Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside the legislature earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on citizens to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova urged the treaty not to be politicized, while the group Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a Latvian petition calling for the treaty to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has called a protest for the coming week, charging MPs of disregarding the wishes of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Possible 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 described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying regression for women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He added that since Turkey abandoned the treaty in 2021, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not achieve a two-thirds support, the head of state could possibly return the legislation for additional review if he holds concerns.

Head of State Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "considering state and legal factors, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the governing alliance, the reformist party, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the supreme judicial body.

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

• Domestic abuse statistics have been increasing in several EU countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates particular legal protections for survivors of gender-based violence
• The nation's vote could affect similar discussions in additional EU countries