US EditionLatvia Votes to Exit Istanbul Convention
- On Thursday, Latvian Parliament voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention after a 13-hour debate, with 56 in favor, 32 against, and two abstentions.
- Right-Wing opposition parties led the push to quit, joined by the Union of Greens and Farmers, while opposition lawmakers initiated the withdrawal process.
- Around 5,000 people protested outside parliament in Riga on Wednesday against withdrawal, while women's rights groups held demonstrations in recent weeks and the MARTA Center highlighted lives saved.
- Following Thursday's vote, the motion now awaits signature or veto by President Edgars Rinkevics, who may return the law to Latvian Parliament or trigger a referendum.
- If signed, Latvia would become the first EU country to quit the Istanbul Convention and the second overall after Türkiye; the treaty was adopted in 2011 and entered into force in Latvia in May 2024.
122 Articles
122 Articles
The Latvian parliament wants Latvia to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, which aims to combat (domestic) violence against women. The convention, which was established in 2011 and has been signed by dozens of countries, pledged to prevent violence against women, protect victims, and prosecute perpetrators. The Latvian parliamentarians now advocating for withdrawal argue that the convention introduces a definition of gender that goes beyond b…
Latvian Parliament Votes to Withdraw from International Treaty on Domestic Violence
The Latvian parliament voted on Oct. 30 to leave an international treaty aimed at reducing violence against women, with opponents to the convention saying it does not work and promotes gender ideology. According to the Saeima, Latvia’s unicameral parliament, lawmakers supported the final reading of the Baltic country’s withdrawal from the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, oft…
The Council of Europe condemned this Friday the approval by the Latvian Parliament of a...
Turkey withdrew from the convention in 2021, which led to harsh criticism.
Latvia is taking a step backwards and does not want to protect women from violence. Despite protests, Parliament voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The withdrawal would be a novelty in the EU.
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