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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have voted to pull out from an international accord designed to safeguard females from abuse, covering family violence, following extensive and intense discussions in the legislature.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The ultimate decision now rests with Head of State Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to approve or reject the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only became active in Latvia last year, requiring governments to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to eliminate all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial European Union member to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation pulled out in 2021, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a significant setback for gender equality.

Political Debate and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet conservative groups have contended that its focus on gender equality undermines family values and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The result represents a defeat for centre-right Prime Minister the nation's PM, who joined protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Divisions and Responses

One of the main political groups advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The recent decision has provoked widespread protest both inside Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a national petition calling for the treaty to be preserved. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a demonstration for next Thursday, charging MPs of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Possible Next Steps

The head of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and human rights in Europe".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation left the convention four years ago, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

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

Head of State Rinkevics announced on social media that he would assess the decision according to legal principles, "considering state and legal factors, instead of ideological or political perspectives".

Recently, another component of the governing alliance, the Progressives, indicated it would not rule out appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This decision represents a worrisome development for women's rights not only in our nation but across Europe," commented a human rights activist.

• Family violence statistics have been rising in multiple EU countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could influence similar debates in other member states