Latvian Lawmakers Decide to Withdraw From International Accord on Protecting Women from Violence
Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week
The Baltic nation's lawmakers have decided to pull out from an global treaty designed to protect women from violence, including family violence, following prolonged and intense debates in the legislature.
Several thousand of protesters gathered in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with President the nation's president, who must determine whether to approve or reject the legislation.
Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating governments to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of violence.
The Baltic nation has become the first EU country to begin the process of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation pulled out in 2021, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a major setback for gender equality.
Ideological Debate and Opposition
The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its focus on equal rights weakens traditional families and promotes what they term "gender ideology".
Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Latvian parliament, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw 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 government leader Evika Silina, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse does not triumph," she declared to the crowd.
Political Divisions and Reactions
One of the primary political groups supporting the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose head has called on the public to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".
The nation's human rights commissioner the rights official urged the agreement not to be politicized, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".
The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread outcry both within Latvia and internationally.
22,000 people have endorsed a national appeal calling for the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, accusing lawmakers of ignoring the will of the Latvian people.
International Worries and Potential Future Actions
The head of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly commented that Latvia had made a rash decision fueled by false information. He described it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".
He added that since Turkey left the convention in 2021, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.
Because the vote did not secure a supermajority support, the head of state could possibly return the legislation for further consideration if he has concerns.
Head of State the national leader announced on social media that he would evaluate the decision according to constitutional requirements, "taking into account state and legal considerations, rather than belief-based viewpoints".
Last week, another component of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.
"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but throughout Europe," commented a human rights advocate.
- Family violence statistics have been rising in multiple European nations
- The European treaty mandates specific legal protections for survivors of gender-based violence
- The nation's vote could affect similar discussions in additional member states