The Saeima of Latvia on Thursday, October 30, adopted a bill on the country's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention – an international document of the Council of Europe designed to prevent violence against women and domestic violence. This was reported by Delfi, writes UNN.
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After more than 12 hours of fierce debate, 56 deputies voted for denunciation, 32 against, and two abstained. President Edgars Rinkēvičs now has 10 days to sign the law or return it for reconsideration. Earlier, 15 European countries expressed concern about Latvia's intentions to withdraw from the convention.
The majority of votes were provided by deputies of the coalition Union of Greens and Farmers together with the opposition factions "Latvia First", National Alliance, "United List" and "Stability". The Prime Minister's "New Unity" and "Progressives" voted against, and their amendments to the bill were rejected by the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The debates, which lasted from 10:00 to 22:00, showed a significant gap between supporters of denunciation, who at the first reading defended the "social field", and opponents, who actively spoke during the second reading.
Latvia's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention will be an important signal for Europe, as the document remains a key mechanism for protecting women from violence and domestic aggression in the region.