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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have decided to withdraw from an global treaty created to safeguard women from abuse, covering family violence, following prolonged and heated discussions in the legislature.

Several thousand of protesters assembled in the capital this past week to oppose the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with Head of State 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 the Baltic state last year, requiring authorities to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to eliminate all types of violence.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to begin the procedure of withdrawing from the treaty. The transcontinental nation withdrew in 2021, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a major setback for women's rights.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The treaty was ratified by the EU in last year, yet conservative factions have contended that its emphasis on gender equality undermines family values and promotes what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, MPs decided by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a defeat for moderate conservative government leader the nation's PM, who joined protesters outside the legislature earlier this seven-day period. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the assembly.

Political Divisions and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose head has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

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

The recent decision has sparked broad outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national petition calling for the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has called a protest for next Thursday, charging MPs of ignoring the will of the nation's citizens.

International Concerns and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the European organization's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a hasty decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying step backward for women's rights and human rights in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the convention in 2021, instances of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds support, the president could potentially send back the bill for further consideration if he has concerns.

Head of State the national leader stated on social media that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional requirements, "considering state and legal factors, instead of ideological or political perspectives".

Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

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

• Family violence statistics have been increasing in multiple EU countries
• The European treaty requires specific safeguards for victims of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could influence similar debates in other member states