Latvian Parliament Votes to Withdraw from Women's Protection Treaty

Fri Oct 31 2025 20:40:37 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant political move, Latvian MPs have voted to pull out of an international treaty aimed at safeguarding women from violence. The decision has sparked protests and calls for reconsideration.

Latvian lawmakers have made a controversial decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, an accord designed to prevent violence against women. The vote followed a lengthy debate and faced opposition from thousands of protesters. Now, the fate of the legislation rests with President Edgars Rinkevics, who has yet to announce his decision. Critics argue this withdrawal undermines women's rights and echoes similar actions seen in Turkey. The situation raises questions about the implications for domestic and international human rights.

Latvian MPs have voted to withdraw from an international accord aimed at protecting women from violence, including domestic abuse, after a long and intense debate in parliament.

Several thousand people protested against the vote this week in Riga. It is now up to President Edgars Rinkevics to decide whether to approve the law or not.

Known as the Istanbul Convention, the 2011 treaty only came into force in Latvia last year, requiring governments to develop laws and support services to end all violence.

Latvia is the first EU country to move towards pulling out of the treaty. Turkey withdrew in 2021, a move described as a huge setback by the Council of Europe.

The treaty was ratified by the EU in 2023, however ultra-conservative groups have argued that the accord's focus on gender equality undermines family values and promotes gender ideology.

After a 13-hour debate in the Saeima, Latvian MPs voted by 56 to 32 to withdraw from the treaty, supported by politicians from one of the coalition parties, the Union of Greens and Farmers, and opposition parties.

This decision poses a significant setback for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who had expressed her commitment to combating violence against women during a protest outside parliament earlier this week.

Latvia First, a political group leading the withdrawal, has stated that the decision is about choosing between a natural family and a gender ideology with multiple sexes.

Latvia's ombudswoman Karina Palkova cautioned against politicizing the treaty, while the group Equality Now emphasized that the convention is a means to realize local values rather than a threat to them.

The vote has stirred outrage within the country, with over 22,000 citizens signing a petition against the withdrawal. Women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called for additional protests next week, arguing that MP actions do not represent the will of the people.

Concerns have also been raised internationally, with the head of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, Theodoros Rousopoulos, condemning the decision as a troubling regression for women's rights across Europe. He highlighted that the increase in femicide and domestic violence in Turkey since its withdrawal from the treaty serves as a grave warning.

As the vote fell short of a two-thirds majority, President Rinkevics has the constitutional option to return the bill for further consideration. He stated he would evaluate the decision based on legal principles rather than ideological stances.

Recent remarks from another ruling coalition member indicated potential plans to appeal to the Constitutional Court regarding the matter.

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