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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have decided to withdraw from an global treaty created to protect females from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense debates in the legislature.

Several thousand of demonstrators assembled in the capital this past week to oppose the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or veto the legislation.

Referred to as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only became active in Latvia last year, mandating governments to establish laws and assistance programs to eliminate all forms of abuse.

The Baltic nation has become the first European Union member to begin the procedure of exiting from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a move that rights groups characterized as a major setback for gender equality.

Political Debate and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the EU in last year, yet conservative factions have contended that its focus on equal rights weakens family values and promotes what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted 56 to 32 to exit from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but backed by politicians 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 parliament earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Responses

One of the primary parties supporting the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose head has urged citizens to choose between what he terms a "natural family" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

The nation's human rights commissioner Karina Palkova urged the agreement not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a threat to national principles, it served as a tool to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread protest both inside Latvia and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand individuals have signed a national petition demanding the treaty to be preserved. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, charging MPs of ignoring the wishes of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a hasty choice driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and deeply concerning regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He noted that since the transcontinental nation left the convention in 2021, instances of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not achieve a supermajority majority, the president could possibly send back the bill for further review if he has objections.

President the national leader announced on digital platforms that he would evaluate the decision according to legal principles, "taking into account state and legal considerations, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Recently, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a concerning development for women's rights not only in Latvia but across the continent," stated a human rights activist.

• Family violence statistics have been rising in multiple EU countries
• The European treaty requires particular safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's decision could affect similar discussions in additional EU countries