🔗 Share this article

Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty created to protect females from violence, covering family violence, following extensive and heated discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital this week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate authority now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

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

The Baltic nation has become the initial European Union member to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the convention. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations described as a significant regression for women's rights.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

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

Following a lengthy discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs decided 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 week. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that violence does not triumph," she declared to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Responses

One of the main political groups supporting the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose leader has urged the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread protest both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand individuals have endorsed a national petition calling for the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, charging lawmakers of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Potential Next Steps

The head of the Council of Europe's legislative body commented that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven by false information. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the convention four years ago, instances of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a two-thirds majority, the head of state could potentially return the bill for additional consideration if he has objections.

President Rinkevics stated on social media that he would assess the decision according to legal principles, "considering governmental and judicial factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another component of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a concerning development for gender equality not only in Latvia but across Europe," stated a rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse rates have been rising in multiple EU nations
• The European treaty requires specific safeguards for survivors of gender-based violence
• The nation's vote could influence comparable discussions in other member states