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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have decided to withdraw from an international accord designed to safeguard women from abuse, including family violence, following prolonged and intense debates in the legislature.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital this week to oppose the vote. The final decision now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to approve or veto the legislation.

Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last year, mandating governments to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of abuse.

The Baltic nation has become the initial European Union member to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation withdrew in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a significant regression for gender equality.

Political Debate and Opposition

The international agreement was approved by the EU in 2023, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its focus on equal rights undermines family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy debate in the Latvian parliament, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move proposed by opposition parties but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative government leader Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Political Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose head has called on citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

Latvia's ombudswoman Karina Palkova urged the treaty not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a danger to national principles, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has provoked broad outcry both within the country and internationally.

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

International Concerns and Possible Future Actions

The head of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash choice fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying regression for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

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

Because the decision did not secure a supermajority support, the president could possibly send back the legislation for additional consideration if he has objections.

Head of State Rinkevics announced on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "considering governmental and judicial factors, rather than belief-based viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude petitioning to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but throughout the continent," stated a rights activist.

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