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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to pull out from an global treaty created to protect females from violence, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Several thousand of demonstrators gathered in Riga this past week to oppose the vote. The ultimate decision now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring authorities to develop legal frameworks and support services to eliminate all types of violence.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to begin the procedure of exiting from the treaty. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations described as a major setback for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Opposition

The treaty was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet conservative factions have argued that its emphasis on gender equality weakens family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the treaty, a action proposed by opposition parties but backed by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a setback for centre-right government leader Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Divisions and Responses

One of the primary political groups supporting the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has called on the public to select from 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 politicized, while the group Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has sparked widespread protest both inside Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a Latvian appeal calling for the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the wishes of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Possible Future Actions

The head of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a hasty choice fueled by false information. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He added that since Turkey left the convention in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a two-thirds majority, the president could possibly return the bill for additional review if he holds objections.

Head of State Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the decision according to legal principles, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, rather than belief-based perspectives".

Last week, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

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

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in several EU nations
• The European treaty requires specific safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's vote could influence similar discussions in additional member states