🔗 Share this article Latvia's Lawmakers Vote to Withdraw From International Accord on Safeguarding Women from Abuse Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week The decision represents a blow for Latvia's conservative-leaning Prime Minister, who spoke to demonstrators outside the legislative assembly Latvia's parliament members have decided to pull out from an international accord designed to protect women from violence, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated discussions in the parliament. Thousands of protesters assembled in Riga this week to oppose the decision. The final authority now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to approve or reject the proposed law. Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last twelve months ago, mandating authorities to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to eliminate all forms of violence. Latvia has become the first European Union member to initiate the process of withdrawing from the convention. Turkey pulled out in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a major setback for women's rights. Political Controversy and Opposition The treaty was ratified by the EU in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its emphasis on gender equality undermines family values and advances what they term "gender ideology". Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, MPs voted by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the treaty, a action sponsored by opposition parties but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners. The outcome represents a setback for centre-right Prime Minister the nation's PM, who joined protesters outside the legislature earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the assembly. Political Disagreements and Responses One of the primary political groups advocating for the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with various gender identities". Latvia's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova appealed for the treaty not to be politicized, while the organization the rights organization stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to realize them". The recent decision has sparked widespread protest both inside Latvia and abroad. 22,000 people have signed a national appeal calling for the treaty to be preserved. The gender equality group Centrs Marta has announced a protest for the coming week, charging lawmakers of ignoring the will of the Latvian people. International Worries and Possible Next Steps The leader of the Council of Europe's legislative body stated that Latvia had made a rash choice driven by misinformation. He described it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and human rights in the continent". He added that since the transcontinental nation left the treaty four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and violence against women had increased significantly. 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 concerns. President Rinkevics stated on social media that he would assess the vote according to legal principles, "considering governmental and judicial considerations, instead of belief-based viewpoints". Recently, another component of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, indicated it would not exclude petitioning to the Constitutional Court. "This decision represents a concerning development for women's rights not only in our nation but throughout Europe," commented a rights advocate. Family violence statistics have been rising in several EU countries The European treaty mandates specific safeguards for victims of gender-based violence Latvia's decision could influence similar discussions in other EU countries