🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have voted to pull out from an international accord designed to protect women from abuse, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated discussions in the parliament.

Several thousand of protesters gathered in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the vote. The ultimate decision now rests with President the nation's president, who must decide whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only became active in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, requiring authorities to establish laws and support services to end all forms of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the first EU country to begin the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a major setback for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its emphasis on gender equality weakens family values and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted 56 to 32 to exit from the treaty, a action 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 Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Political Divisions and Responses

One of the primary parties advocating for the exit is Latvia First, whose head has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

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

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

22,000 individuals have endorsed a Latvian appeal calling for the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group Centrs Marta has announced a protest for next Thursday, accusing MPs of disregarding the will of the Latvian people.

Global Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's legislative body stated that the Baltic state had made a rash choice fueled by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds majority, the president could possibly return the bill for additional review if he holds concerns.

Head of State the national leader announced on social media that he would evaluate the decision according to constitutional principles, "taking into account state and legal considerations, instead of belief-based viewpoints".

Recently, another component of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a worrisome situation for gender equality not only in Latvia but throughout Europe," stated a human rights advocate.

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in several European nations
• The European treaty requires particular safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could influence similar debates in additional member states