Overview
- Parliament approved an opposition-drafted withdrawal bill after a lengthy debate, with one governing coalition party voting in favor.
- The cross-vote split Prime Minister Evika Silina’s centre-left coalition and left the government’s durability in question.
- Latvia ratified the Council of Europe convention in 2024, and it entered into force there on May 1, 2024.
- Roughly 5,000 people protested in Riga against the move, which police described as one of the largest demonstrations in recent years.
- Opponents say the pact advances a social-construct view of gender and that national laws suffice, while women’s rights groups warn protections and equality efforts will be weakened.