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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have decided to withdraw from an global treaty created to protect women from violence, covering family violence, following prolonged and intense discussions in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Riga this past week to oppose the vote. The ultimate authority now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring authorities to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first EU country to initiate the process of withdrawing from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a decision that rights groups characterized as a significant regression for gender equality.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the EU in 2023, yet traditionalist factions have contended that its emphasis on equal rights weakens family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy debate in the Latvian parliament, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a move sponsored by political opponents but backed by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a defeat for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Divisions and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for 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 the rights official urged the treaty not to be made political, while the group Equality Now asserted it was "not a danger to national principles, it served as a tool to realize them".

The recent vote has provoked broad protest both within the country and abroad.

22,000 individuals have endorsed a national appeal calling for the treaty to be maintained. The gender equality group Centrs Marta has called a protest for next Thursday, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the wishes of the nation's citizens.

International Worries and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's legislative body commented that Latvia had made a rash decision fueled by false information. He described it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning step backward for female equality and human rights in Europe".

He noted that since Turkey abandoned the treaty four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and violence against women had risen sharply.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds support, the head of state could possibly send back the legislation for additional consideration if he has objections.

Head of State Rinkevics stated on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "considering state and legal considerations, rather than belief-based perspectives".

Last week, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude petitioning to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a concerning development for gender equality not only in our nation but across Europe," commented a human rights advocate.

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in multiple European nations
• The European treaty requires specific safeguards for survivors of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could affect similar discussions in additional EU countries