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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 domestic abuse, following prolonged and intense debates in the legislature.

Several thousand of protesters assembled in Riga this week to oppose the decision. The final decision now rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who must determine whether to endorse or veto the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the 2011 agreement only became active in the Baltic state last year, mandating governments to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first EU country to begin the process of withdrawing from the convention. The transcontinental nation pulled out in 2021, a move that rights groups characterized as a major regression for women's rights.

Ideological Debate and Opposition

The treaty was approved by the European Union in last year, yet traditionalist groups have contended that its emphasis on gender equality weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a lengthy discussion in the Latvian parliament, MPs voted by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the convention, a action sponsored by political opponents but backed by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a setback for centre-right Prime Minister the nation's PM, who joined protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that abuse does not triumph," she declared to the assembly.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main parties advocating for the exit is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

The nation's ombudswoman Karina Palkova appealed for the agreement not to be politicized, while the group Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's vote has sparked widespread protest both within the country and abroad.

22,000 people have endorsed a national petition calling for the treaty to be preserved. The gender equality group the rights center has called a protest for next Thursday, accusing MPs of ignoring the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly commented that the Baltic state had made a rash decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "unprecedented and deeply concerning regression for women's rights and human rights in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation left the treaty in 2021, instances of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the vote did not secure a supermajority support, the president could possibly send back the bill for additional consideration if he holds objections.

Head of State Rinkevics announced on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to constitutional requirements, "taking into account state and legal factors, rather than ideological or political perspectives".

Recently, another component of the governing alliance, the reformist party, suggested it would not rule out petitioning to the supreme judicial body.

"This decision represents a concerning situation for gender equality not only in Latvia but throughout Europe," commented a rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse statistics have been rising in several European nations
• The European treaty requires specific legal protections for victims of domestic abuse
• Latvia's decision could affect similar debates in other member states