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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's parliament members have voted to withdraw from an global treaty designed to safeguard women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Several thousand of demonstrators assembled in the capital this past week to oppose the decision. The ultimate decision now rests with President the nation's president, who must decide whether to approve or reject the proposed law.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last twelve months ago, mandating governments to develop laws and assistance programs to end all forms of abuse.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to initiate the process of exiting from the treaty. The transcontinental nation pulled out in two years ago, a decision that rights groups described as a major setback for women's rights.

Political Debate and Resistance

The treaty was ratified by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist groups have contended that its emphasis on equal rights weakens traditional families and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour debate in the Saeima, MPs voted by a margin of 56-32 to withdraw from the treaty, a move sponsored by opposition parties but supported by representatives from one of the three coalition parties.

The outcome represents a setback for moderate conservative government leader Evika Silina, who joined protesters outside parliament earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will persist in our struggle so that abuse will not prevail," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Disagreements and Responses

One of the primary political groups supporting the exit is a nationalist party, whose leader has called on citizens to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

Latvia's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the agreement not to be made political, while the organization Equality Now stated it was "not a danger to national principles, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked widespread outcry both inside the country and abroad.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national appeal demanding 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 wishes of the nation's citizens.

Global Worries and Possible Future Actions

The leader of the Council of Europe's legislative body commented that Latvia had made a hasty choice driven by false information. He described 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 left the convention four years ago, cases of gender-based killings and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

Because the decision did not secure a two-thirds support, the president could possibly return the legislation for additional review if he has objections.

Head of State Rinkevics announced on social media that he would assess the decision according to legal principles, "considering state and legal considerations, rather than ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This decision represents a worrisome development for gender equality not only in Latvia but across the continent," stated a rights advocate.

• Family violence rates have been rising in multiple European countries
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific legal protections for survivors of gender-based violence
• Latvia's decision could affect similar debates in other member states