Latvian Lawmakers Decide to Exit Treaty on Protecting Females from Violence
Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week
The Baltic nation's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty created to protect women from violence, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.
Thousands of protesters assembled in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must determine whether to approve or veto the proposed law.
Referred to as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating governments to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to eliminate all forms of violence.
The Baltic nation has become the initial European Union member to begin the process of exiting from the treaty. Turkey withdrew in 2021, a decision that rights groups described as a significant regression for gender equality.
Ideological Debate and Opposition
The international agreement was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet conservative groups have argued that its focus on equal rights weakens family values and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".
Following a lengthy discussion in the Saeima, MPs decided by a margin of 56-32 to exit from the treaty, a action proposed by political opponents but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners.
The result represents a setback for moderate conservative Prime Minister the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.
Ideological Divisions and Reactions
One of the main political groups advocating for the exit is Latvia First, whose leader has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".
Latvia's ombudswoman Karina Palkova appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".
The Thursday's vote has sparked broad protest both within Latvia and internationally.
Twenty-two thousand people have signed a Latvian appeal demanding the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a protest for the coming week, charging MPs of disregarding the will of the Latvian people.
Global Worries and Potential Next Steps
The head of the European organization's parliamentary assembly commented that Latvia had made a hasty decision fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for female equality and human rights in Europe".
He noted that since Turkey abandoned the convention in 2021, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.
Because the decision did not achieve a two-thirds majority, the president could possibly return the legislation for further consideration if he holds objections.
President Rinkevics announced on digital platforms that he would evaluate the decision according to constitutional principles, "taking into account state and legal considerations, rather than belief-based viewpoints".
Recently, another member of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out appealing to the supreme judicial body.
"This decision represents a worrisome situation for gender equality not only in Latvia but across the continent," stated a human rights advocate.
- Domestic abuse statistics have been increasing in several European nations
- The European treaty mandates particular safeguards for survivors of domestic abuse
- The nation's vote could influence comparable discussions in additional EU countries