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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have decided to pull out from an international accord created to safeguard women from violence, including domestic abuse, following extensive and heated debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the vote. The final decision now rests with Head of State the nation's president, who must determine whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

Referred to as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last year, requiring governments to establish laws and support services to eliminate all forms of abuse.

The Baltic nation has become the initial European Union member to begin the process of exiting from the treaty. Turkey pulled out in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations described as a significant regression for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Opposition

The treaty was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet conservative factions have argued that its focus on equal rights undermines family values and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a setback for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who stood with demonstrators outside parliament 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 Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main political groups supporting the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has urged the public to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a threat to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has sparked broad protest both inside Latvia and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national appeal demanding the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a demonstration for next Thursday, charging lawmakers of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's legislative body commented that the Baltic state had made a rash decision fueled by false information. He described it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a two-thirds support, the president could possibly send back the bill for further review if he has concerns.

President Rinkevics announced on social media that he would evaluate the decision according to legal principles, "considering governmental and judicial factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in our nation but across the continent," commented a rights advocate.

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in multiple EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention requires particular safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's vote could affect similar debates in other member states