Latvian Lawmakers Vote to Withdraw From Treaty on Safeguarding Women from Abuse
Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week
Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an international accord created to protect women from abuse, covering family violence, following prolonged and intense discussions in the parliament.
Several thousand of demonstrators gathered in Riga this week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or veto the proposed law.
Known as the European treaty, the international accord only became active in Latvia last twelve months ago, requiring authorities to establish laws and support services to end all forms of abuse.
The Baltic nation has become the first EU country to initiate the process of exiting from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations described as a major regression for women's rights.
Ideological Debate and Resistance
The international agreement was approved by the European Union in last year, yet conservative groups have argued that its focus on gender equality weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".
Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Latvian parliament, MPs decided 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.
The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that violence does not triumph," she declared to the assembly.
Political Divisions and Reactions
One of the main parties advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose head has urged the public to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with various gender identities".
Latvia's human rights commissioner the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the group the rights organization stated it was "not a danger to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".
The recent vote has sparked widespread outcry both inside Latvia and abroad.
22,000 people have endorsed a national appeal calling for the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has called a protest for the coming week, accusing MPs of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.
International Worries and Potential Next Steps
The head of the European organization's legislative body commented that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for women's rights and human rights in Europe".
He noted that since Turkey abandoned the convention four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.
Because the vote did not achieve a supermajority support, the president could potentially return the bill for additional consideration if he has concerns.
President Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the decision according to legal principles, "considering governmental and judicial considerations, rather than ideological or political perspectives".
Recently, another member of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.
"This vote represents a worrisome development for gender equality not only in Latvia but across the continent," commented a human rights advocate.
- Domestic abuse statistics have been rising in several European nations
- The European treaty mandates specific safeguards for survivors of domestic abuse
- Latvia's decision could influence similar discussions in additional EU countries