The Latvian Parliament voted on Thursday in favor of withdrawing the country from the Istanbul Convention, which aims to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. Lawmakers argued that the convention promotes “gender theories” — concepts related to how social roles and identities of men and women are understood and expressed.
This decision makes Latvia the first country in the European Union to withdraw from the convention, which the parliament had ratified earlier in November 2024.
A total of 56 lawmakers voted in favor of the withdrawal, 32 opposed it, and two abstained.
The move still requires the signature of President Edgars Rinkēvičs to take effect. However, the president has previously expressed his opposition to the withdrawal, while also stating that he does not intend to veto a parliamentary decision.
The Council of Europe Convention obliges member states to develop laws and policies aimed at combating violence against women and domestic abuse.
Right-wing opposition parties supported the withdrawal, while the ruling coalition — led by Prime Minister Evika Siliņa — was divided. The Union of Greens and Farmers voted to leave the convention, while other coalition parties voted to remain.
The Council of Europe has repeatedly rejected claims that the convention imposes gender theories, reaffirming in 2022 that “the Istanbul Convention does not introduce any new standards regarding gender identity or sexual orientation.”
Right-wing politicians in Latvia argue that existing national laws already provide sufficient protection for women and that the withdrawal will not weaken efforts to combat violence.
Meanwhile, women’s rights groups have organized several protests in the capital, Riga, in recent weeks. The Marta Center, which advocates for women’s and migrants’ rights, stated that “Latvia’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention has led to tangible results that cannot be seen as mere words on paper — they represent lives that have been saved.”
Recently, Latvia’s right-wing faction has also supported a new proposal seeking to restrict access to abortion in the country.
