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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an global treaty created to safeguard women from violence, including family violence, following prolonged and intense debates in the legislature.

Thousands of protesters assembled in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the vote. The final decision now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must decide whether to endorse or reject the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating authorities to develop legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all types of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to initiate the process of exiting from the convention. Turkey pulled out in 2021, a move that rights groups described as a significant regression for gender equality.

Ideological Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was ratified by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist groups have contended that its focus on equal rights weakens family values and advances what they term "non-traditional gender concepts".

Following a lengthy debate in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to withdraw from the treaty, a move sponsored by political opponents but supported by politicians from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a setback for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who stood with demonstrators outside parliament earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will persist in our struggle so that violence does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Divisions and Responses

One of the main political groups supporting the exit is Latvia First, whose leader has urged the public to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official urged the agreement not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it served as a tool to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has sparked broad protest both inside the country and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national appeal demanding the treaty to be preserved. The gender equality group Centrs Marta has called a demonstration for next Thursday, charging lawmakers of disregarding the wishes of the Latvian people.

International Worries and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the European organization's legislative body stated that Latvia had made a rash decision fueled by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and deeply concerning step backward for female equality and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty in 2021, cases of femicide and violence against women had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not achieve a two-thirds majority, the president could possibly return the legislation for further consideration if he has concerns.

President the national leader announced on digital platforms that he would assess the decision according to legal requirements, "considering governmental and judicial considerations, rather than ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a worrisome development for women's rights not only in our nation but across the continent," commented a human rights activist.

• Family violence rates have been rising in multiple EU nations
• The European treaty mandates specific legal protections for survivors of domestic abuse
• The nation's decision could affect comparable debates in other member states