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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's parliament members have voted to withdraw from an global treaty created to safeguard women from violence, covering domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense debates in the parliament.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or veto the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only became active in Latvia last year, requiring governments to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to begin the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations described as a major regression for women's rights.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the EU in 2023, yet conservative factions have argued that its focus on gender equality undermines traditional families and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the main parties supporting the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose leader has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman Karina Palkova urged the treaty not to be politicized, while the organization Equality Now stated it was "not a threat to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The recent vote has provoked broad outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand individuals have signed a Latvian petition calling for the treaty to be preserved. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for next Thursday, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Potential Future Actions

The leader of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated 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 women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

Because the vote did not secure a supermajority majority, the head of state could potentially send back the legislation for further consideration if he has objections.

President Rinkevics stated on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "taking into account state and legal considerations, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, suggested it would not exclude petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in our nation but throughout Europe," commented a human rights activist.

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in several European countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates particular safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could affect comparable discussions in other member states