Latvia's Parliament Members Decide to Withdraw From Treaty on Protecting Females from Abuse
Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week
The Baltic nation's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty designed to protect women from abuse, covering family violence, following extensive and heated discussions in the parliament.
Several thousand of demonstrators assembled in the capital this past week to oppose the vote. The final decision now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or reject the proposed law.
Known as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 agreement only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring governments to establish legal frameworks and support services to eliminate all types of abuse.
The Baltic nation has become the first European Union member to initiate the procedure of withdrawing from the convention. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a move that human rights organizations characterized as a significant regression for gender equality.
Political Controversy and Resistance
The international agreement was ratified by the European Union in last year, yet conservative factions have contended that its emphasis on equal rights weakens traditional families and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".
Following a lengthy debate in the Saeima, MPs decided by a margin of 56-32 to exit from the treaty, a action proposed by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.
The result represents a defeat for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.
Political Divisions and Reactions
One of the main parties supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose head has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".
The nation's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be made political, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".
The Thursday's vote has sparked broad outcry both inside the country and abroad.
22,000 people have endorsed a Latvian appeal demanding the treaty to be preserved. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has announced a protest for the coming week, charging lawmakers of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.
International Worries and Potential Next Steps
The leader of the European organization's legislative body commented that the Baltic state had made a rash choice driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe".
He noted that since Turkey abandoned the convention four years ago, cases of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.
Because the decision did not secure a supermajority support, the president could possibly return the bill for further review if he has objections.
President the national leader stated on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".
Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the supreme judicial body.
"This vote represents a worrisome development for gender equality not only in Latvia but across Europe," commented a human rights activist.
- Family violence rates have been increasing in several EU countries
- The European treaty mandates particular legal protections for victims of gender-based violence
- The nation's decision could affect comparable discussions in additional member states