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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

Latvia's lawmakers have voted to withdraw from an global treaty created to protect women from abuse, including family violence, following prolonged and heated debates in the legislature.

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

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only took effect in the Baltic state last year, requiring governments to develop legal frameworks and support services to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the first European Union member to initiate the process of exiting from the convention. Turkey withdrew in two years ago, a decision that rights groups described as a significant setback for women's rights.

Ideological Debate and Resistance

The treaty was approved by the European Union in last year, yet conservative factions have contended that its focus on gender equality weakens family values and advances what they term "gender ideology".

Following a thirteen-hour discussion in the Saeima, lawmakers decided 56 to 32 to exit from the treaty, a action sponsored by political opponents but supported by representatives from one of the three governing partners.

The outcome represents a setback for centre-right government leader the nation's PM, who joined demonstrators outside the legislature earlier this week. "We refuse to give up, we will continue fighting so that violence does not triumph," she stated to the assembly.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the primary parties advocating for the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose leader has called on citizens to choose between what he terms a "traditional family unit" and "gender ideology with various gender identities".

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 threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to achieve them".

The recent decision has provoked broad protest both inside the country and internationally.

Twenty-two thousand people have signed a national petition demanding the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization the rights center has announced a protest for the coming week, accusing MPs of ignoring the wishes of the Latvian people.

International Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The head of the European organization's legislative body stated that the Baltic state had made a rash choice fueled by misinformation. He described it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning step backward for women's rights and human rights in the continent".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the treaty four years ago, instances of femicide and violence against women had risen sharply.

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

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

Recently, another member of the ruling coalition, the reformist party, indicated it would not rule out appealing to the Constitutional Court.

"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in Latvia but throughout the continent," commented a rights activist.

• Family violence statistics have been rising in multiple European countries
• The European treaty mandates specific safeguards for survivors of gender-based violence
• Latvia's vote could influence similar discussions in additional member states