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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty designed to protect women from abuse, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense discussions in the parliament.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital this week to voice disagreement with the decision. The final authority now rests with Head of State the nation's president, who must decide whether to endorse or reject the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring governments to establish legal frameworks and support services to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to begin the procedure of exiting from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a move that rights groups described as a significant regression for gender equality.

Political Debate and Resistance

The treaty was ratified by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist factions have contended that its emphasis on gender equality undermines traditional families and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse does not triumph," she declared to the crowd.

Political Divisions and Responses

One of the main parties advocating for the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose leader has called on the public to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

Latvia's human rights commissioner the rights official urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the group Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has sparked broad outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a Latvian petition calling for the treaty to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for next Thursday, accusing MPs of ignoring the will of the Latvian people.

International Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's parliamentary assembly commented that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He added that since Turkey abandoned the convention in 2021, instances of femicide and violence against women had risen sharply.

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

President the national leader announced on digital platforms that he would assess the vote according to constitutional principles, "considering state and legal factors, instead of belief-based perspectives".

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

"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but across Europe," commented a human rights activist.

• Family violence rates have been increasing in several European nations
• The Istanbul Convention requires specific safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's vote could influence comparable debates in additional EU countries