31.10.2025 20:38
The Latvian Parliament has approved a bill that includes withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, which is internationally recognized as a standard in the fight against violence against women. If the bill is signed by President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvia will become the first European Union country to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.
The Latvian Parliament held a second vote regarding the country's withdrawal from the "Istanbul Convention" following the first vote held last week.
APPROVAL OF THE WITHDRAWAL DECISION BY THE PARLIAMENT After more than 13 hours of debate, the decision to withdraw from the "Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence," known internationally as the "Istanbul Convention," was accepted in the 100-seat parliament with 56 "yes," 32 "no," and 2 "abstention" votes.
PRESIDENT EDGARS' APPROVAL IS REQUIRED For the withdrawal decision to come into effect, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics must approve it within 10 days. President Rinkevics also has the right to send the withdrawal decision back to parliament, but if parliament approves the law in the same way without making changes, Rinkevics cannot object again.
WILL BE THE FIRST EU COUNTRY TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CONVENTION After the withdrawal decision passed in parliament, Rinkevics stated in a post on the US-based X social media platform that he would evaluate the decision not based on ideological or political reasons, but in terms of state interests and legal matters. If the decision is approved by Rinkevics, Latvia will become the first European Union (EU) country to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY OF A REFERENDUM There is a possibility that the decision could be taken to a referendum, but it is considered a very difficult possibility due to the criteria. Additionally, some political parties are also considering taking the withdrawal decision to the country's Constitutional Court.
"A POLITICAL MARKETING COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO FIGHTING VIOLENCE" The law for withdrawal from the convention was brought up by the right-wing opposition party Latvia First and was accepted in parliament with the support of one of the three parties in the government coalition. Inguna Millere, a representative of the Latvia First Party supporting the withdrawal, stated in a written statement to Politico that the Istanbul Convention is a product of "radical feminism based on gender ideology" and that Latvia's approval of the convention was "a political marketing completely unrelated to fighting violence."
RUSSIA AND AZERBAIJAN REFUSED TO SIGN THE CONVENTION The Istanbul Convention was adopted at the 121st meeting of the Council of Europe Ministers' Committee held in Istanbul in 2011. The European Union signed the convention on June 13, 2017, while Russia and Azerbaijan refused to sign it. Czechia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Armenia, and Bulgaria signed the convention but did not ratify it.
TURKEY HAS ALSO WITHDRAWN Some articles of the Istanbul Convention have caused debates in Turkey regarding gender equality and the damage to traditional family values, leading Turkey to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention in 2021.