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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an international accord created to protect females from abuse, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense discussions in the legislature.

Several thousand of protesters gathered in the capital this week to oppose the decision. The ultimate authority now lies with Head of State the nation's president, who must determine whether to endorse or reject the legislation.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in Latvia last year, mandating governments to establish laws and assistance programs to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to begin the procedure of exiting from the convention. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a move that rights groups described as a significant setback for gender equality.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was approved by the European Union in 2023, yet conservative groups have argued that its emphasis on equal rights weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, lawmakers voted 56 to 32 to withdraw from the convention, a move proposed by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for moderate conservative government leader the nation's PM, who stood with protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Divisions and Reactions

One of the main political groups advocating for the withdrawal is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "non-binary concepts with multiple sexes".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the treaty not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now asserted it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to realize them".

The recent decision has provoked broad protest both inside Latvia and abroad.

22,000 individuals have endorsed a national petition demanding the convention to be maintained. The gender equality group the rights center has announced a demonstration for next Thursday, accusing lawmakers of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly commented that the Baltic state had made a hasty choice driven by misinformation. He described it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in the continent".

He added that since Turkey left the treaty four years ago, instances of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a supermajority majority, the head of state could potentially send back the legislation for further consideration if he has objections.

Head of State Rinkevics stated on digital platforms that he would assess the vote according to legal requirements, "taking into account state and legal factors, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Recently, another component of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not rule out appealing to the supreme judicial body.

"This vote represents a concerning development for gender equality not only in our nation but across the continent," commented a rights advocate.

• Family violence statistics have been rising in several EU countries
• The European treaty mandates particular safeguards for victims of domestic abuse
• The nation's vote could affect similar debates in additional member states