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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

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

Several thousand of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to oppose the vote. The final decision now lies with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to endorse or veto the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only became active in the Baltic state last year, mandating authorities to establish legal frameworks and support services to eliminate all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to begin the process of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a major regression for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet conservative factions have argued that its emphasis on gender equality undermines traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, lawmakers decided by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the convention, a action proposed by opposition parties but backed by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a setback for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who joined demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that violence will not prevail," she declared to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the primary parties supporting the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose head has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova appealed for the treaty not to be made political, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a danger to national principles, it served as a tool to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked broad protest both within Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a Latvian petition demanding the convention 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.

Global Worries and Potential Future Actions

The leader of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that the Baltic state had made a hasty decision driven by false information. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, cases of femicide and violence against women had risen sharply.

Because the vote did not secure a two-thirds support, the head of state could potentially return the legislation for additional consideration if he has concerns.

President the national leader announced on social media that he would assess the decision according to legal principles, "considering governmental and judicial factors, instead of ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another component of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out appealing to the supreme judicial body.

"This vote represents a concerning situation for gender equality not only in our nation but throughout the continent," stated a human rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse rates have been rising in several EU nations
• The European treaty mandates specific safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• The nation's decision could influence comparable discussions in additional member states