The Latvian Parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at supporting women who are victims of violence.
The tally from the ballot was 56 to withdraw from the treaty, 32 to remain, and two abstentions.
Is the vote set in stone?
The vote, which came after a 13-hour session of intense debate, would make Latvia the first European Union member state to quit the Istanbul Convention, which the very same parliament ratified in November 2024.
The motion must now be signed by Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, who has indicated he is not in favor. He has, however, also hinted that he might not subvert a parliamentary decision.
The Council of Europe treaty came into force in Latvia last year and is intended to standardize support for women who are victims of violence, including domestic abuse.
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What is the argument against the Istanbul Convention?
Ultra-conservative groups and political parties across Europe, though, have criticized the treaty, arguing that it promotes “gender ideology,” encourages sexual experimentation and harms children.
In September, opposition lawmakers in Latvia began a process to pull out of the convention. They were joined by the Union of Greens and Farmers, an agrarian alliance member of the tripartite governing coalition, which also includes the center-right party of Prime Minister Evika Silina and a center-left party.
Silina, whose coalition came to power in 2023 with a promise to ratify the treaty, has criticized the attempts to withdraw from the treaty.
“Those who have been brave enough to seek help are now witnessing their experiences being used for political battles,” Silina posted on X in October. “It is cruel.”
‘This decision endangers women and girls in Latvia’
The alliance between opposition and governing lawmakers in support of withdrawal highlights cracks in the governing coalition ahead of the next parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place in the fall of 2026.
“This decision not only endangers women and girls in Latvia, it emboldens anti-human rights movements across Europe and Central Asia, and supports authoritarian tendencies of governments moving away from the rule of law, international justice and democratic values,” Tamar Dekanosidze from international women’s rights organization Equality Now said in response to the vote.
Around 5,000 people protested outside the parliament in Riga on Wednesday night against the withdrawal, according to the Baltic News Service.
Around 20 people also rallied in favor of withdrawal on Thursday.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
