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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have voted to pull out from an international accord designed to protect women from violence, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated discussions in the parliament.

Several thousand of protesters gathered in the capital this week to oppose the vote. The ultimate decision now lies with President the nation's president, who must determine whether to approve or veto the proposed law.

Referred to as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in Latvia last twelve months ago, mandating governments to establish legal frameworks and assistance programs to end all forms of violence.

The Baltic nation has become the initial EU country to begin the process of exiting from the treaty. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a move that rights groups described as a significant regression for women's rights.

Political Controversy and Resistance

The international agreement was approved by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist factions have contended that its emphasis on gender equality weakens family values and advances what they term "gender ideology".

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

The result represents a setback for moderate conservative Prime Minister Evika Silina, who joined demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that abuse will not prevail," she declared to the crowd.

Ideological Divisions and Responses

One of the main political groups advocating for the exit is Latvia First, whose head has called on the public to select from what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

The nation's ombudswoman Karina Palkova appealed for the treaty not to be made political, while the group the rights organization asserted it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The recent vote has provoked widespread protest both inside the country and abroad.

22,000 people have signed a national petition calling for the convention to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a protest for the coming week, charging MPs of ignoring the will of the Latvian people.

Global Worries and Potential Next Steps

The head of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash decision driven by misinformation. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and extremely worrying regression for female equality and human rights in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty four years ago, cases of femicide and abuse targeting females had increased significantly.

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

President Rinkevics announced on digital platforms that he would evaluate the vote according to legal requirements, "taking into account governmental and judicial considerations, instead of belief-based perspectives".

Recently, another member of the governing alliance, the Progressives, indicated it would not exclude appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This decision represents a concerning development for gender equality not only in our nation but across Europe," stated a rights activist.

• Domestic abuse rates have been rising in multiple EU nations
• The Istanbul Convention mandates specific safeguards for survivors of gender-based violence
• The nation's vote could affect similar discussions in additional EU countries