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Protesters gathered outside the legislative building this week

The Baltic nation's lawmakers have voted to withdraw from an international accord created to protect women from abuse, including domestic abuse, following prolonged and heated debates in the parliament.

Thousands of protesters assembled in the capital this past week to voice disagreement with the decision. The ultimate decision now lies with President the nation's president, who must decide whether to endorse or veto the proposed law.

Known as the European treaty, the international accord only became active in the Baltic state last year, requiring governments to establish laws and support services to end all forms of violence.

Latvia has become the initial EU country to initiate the process of withdrawing from the convention. Turkey pulled out in two years ago, a decision that human rights organizations characterized as a significant setback for women's rights.

Ideological Debate and Resistance

The international agreement was approved by the EU in last year, yet traditionalist groups have argued that its emphasis on equal rights weakens family values 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 political opponents but supported by politicians from one of the three coalition parties.

The result represents a defeat for centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina, who stood with demonstrators outside parliament earlier this seven-day period. "We will not surrender, we will continue fighting so that violence will not prevail," she stated to the crowd.

Ideological Disagreements and Reactions

One of the main parties supporting the withdrawal is Latvia First, whose head has urged citizens to select from what he terms a "natural family" and "gender ideology with multiple sexes".

The nation's ombudswoman the rights official appealed for the treaty not to be politicized, while the group Equality Now stated it was "not a threat to Latvian values, it was an instrument to realize them".

The Thursday's decision has provoked broad outcry both inside Latvia and abroad.

22,000 people have signed a Latvian petition demanding the treaty to be maintained. The women's rights organization Centrs Marta has called a protest for the coming week, accusing MPs of disregarding the will of the nation's citizens.

Global Concerns and Possible Next Steps

The leader of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly stated that Latvia had made a rash choice driven by false information. He characterized it as an "never-before-seen and deeply concerning regression for female equality and fundamental freedoms in Europe".

He added that since the transcontinental nation abandoned the convention four years ago, instances of femicide and abuse targeting females had risen sharply.

Because the decision did not achieve a supermajority majority, the president could possibly send back the bill for additional consideration if he has concerns.

Head of State Rinkevics announced on social media that he would assess the vote according to constitutional requirements, "considering governmental and judicial considerations, instead of ideological or political viewpoints".

Last week, another member of the ruling coalition, the Progressives, suggested it would not exclude appealing to the supreme judicial body.

"This vote represents a concerning situation for women's rights not only in our nation but across the continent," commented a human rights advocate.

• Domestic abuse rates have been increasing in multiple EU countries
• The European treaty mandates particular safeguards for survivors of gender-based violence
• Latvia's decision could influence comparable discussions in additional EU countries