Latvia withdraws from the Istanbul Convention, considering its own laws to be sufficient

The Latvian parliament has voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention—a move seen by many as affirming the country's legal and value-based sovereignty.

Fifty-six members of parliament voted in favor of the decision, including parts of the governing coalition, despite opposition from Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

While the agreement officially declares the protection of women from violence, it uses terminology about “gender,” which is allegedly only a social construct and not related to biological sex.

It is precisely these provisions that have raised fears that the convention could undermine traditional principles and interfere with national legislation. Critics emphasize that existing laws already provide sufficient protection for victims of domestic violence.

The convention, adopted by the Council of Europe in 2011, was not ratified by Latvia until 2023. With this step, the country is now likely to join the ranks of states such as Turkey, which left the agreement in 2021.

(reuters, lup)