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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an international accord created to safeguard women from abuse, covering domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital this week to oppose the decision. The final decision now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to approve or veto the proposed law.

Referred to as the Istanbul Convention, the international accord only became active in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, requiring authorities to establish legal frameworks and support services to end all types of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the first EU country to initiate the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation withdrew in two years ago, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a significant setback for gender equality.

Ideological 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 lengthy debate in the Saeima, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action proposed by opposition parties but backed by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a setback for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that abuse does not triumph," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Responses

One of the primary political groups advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose leader has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman Karina Palkova urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a threat to national principles, it served as a tool to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has provoked broad outcry both inside Latvia and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have endorsed a Latvian petition demanding the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a demonstration for next Thursday, charging lawmakers of disregarding the wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The head of the Council of Europe's legislative body commented that Latvia had made a rash choice driven by false information. He described it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying step backward for female equality and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He noted that since Turkey left the convention in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

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

President Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would assess the decision according to legal requirements, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, rather than belief-based viewpoints".

Recently, another component of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, suggested it would not exclude petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a concerning situation for gender equality not only in our nation but throughout Europe," commented a rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been rising in multiple European nations
• The Istanbul Convention requires specific legal protections for survivors of domestic abuse
• Latvia's decision could influence similar debates in other member states