MPs yesterday backed withdrawal by 56-32 with two abstentions, despite some of the largest protests in recent Latvian history, with around 5,000 people taking to the streets of Riga on Wednesday.

The move was proposed by the far-right Latvia First party and passed with support from one of the three parties in Latvia’s ruling coalition, the Union of Greens and Farmers.

The Istanbul Convention, formally known as the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, was ratified by Latvia in November 2023 and entered into force in May 2024.

It has been signed and ratified by the majority of Council of Europe member states, with the EU also ratifying the Convention in June 2023.

If Latvia withdraws, it will be the second country to leave the Convention, following Turkey’s widely-condemned exit in 2021.

Monica Costa Riba, senior campaigner on women’s rights at Amnesty International, said Latvia’s withdrawal would be “a devastating blow to the protection and rights of the country’s women and girls and all people facing domestic violence”.

“It sends a reckless and dangerous message to perpetrators that they can abuse an kill women and girls with impunity,” she said.

“This decision has been driven by powerful anti-rights groups spreading harmful disinformation about this vital safeguard in order to demonise gender equality, women’s and LGBTI people’s rights.

“We urge the president of Latvia to do the right thing and use his veto to stop Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and advance measures to ensure its full implementation to protect women and girls from gender-based and domestic violence.

“Amid persistent backlash we must come together to resist further assaults on women’s rights and gender equality in Latvia and across Europe.”