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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 designed to protect women from abuse, covering domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the legislature.

Several thousand of demonstrators assembled in Riga this past week to oppose the decision. The final decision now rests with President the nation's president, 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, mandating governments to establish legal frameworks and support services to end all forms of abuse.

The Baltic nation has become the initial European Union member to begin the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a decision that rights groups characterized as a major setback for gender equality.

Ideological Debate and Opposition

The international agreement was ratified by the EU in last year, yet conservative factions have argued that its focus on gender equality undermines family values and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, MPs decided 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action sponsored by opposition parties but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a defeat for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who joined protesters outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the primary political groups supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose head has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the treaty not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread outcry both inside Latvia and abroad.

22,000 people have signed a Latvian petition demanding the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for next Thursday, charging lawmakers of ignoring the will of the Latvian people.

International Worries and Potential Next Steps

The head of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that the Baltic state had made a rash choice driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

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

Because the vote did not achieve a supermajority support, the president could potentially send back the legislation for further review if he has concerns.

Head of State the national leader announced on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to legal principles, "taking into account state and legal considerations, instead of ideological or political perspectives".

Last week, another member of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a concerning development for women's rights not only in Latvia but throughout Europe," commented a human rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been increasing in several European countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates particular legal protections for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could affect similar debates in other member states