Members of the National Alliance (NA), the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), and the United List (AS) have submitted to the Saeima a declaration reaffirming Latvia’s commitment to take decisive action to protect every individual from violence, particularly women and children, and to introduce corresponding measures through new national legislation.
During the Thursday parliamentary sitting, deputies voted to include the proposed resolution on the agenda of the next Saeima session on the 16th of October.
A total of 79 deputies voted in favor, while only the Progressives voted against.
Before the vote, Progressives MP Andris Šuvajevs criticized the initiative, saying the parliament was experiencing a “moment of political amnesia.” He reminded colleagues that two years ago the Saeima had already ratified the Istanbul Convention and that it is currently in force in Latvia.
Šuvajevs noted that the Foreign Affairs Committee is presently reviewing the Convention’s impact, and on its basis, the government has already developed a five-year national plan for preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
“We are in an absurd situation,”
Šuvajevs said. “Because of ZZS’s broken promises, the parliament is now reviewing the impact of the Convention on reducing violence, while every ministry is reporting on the work done and ongoing plans.”
He argued that no new proposals could “wash away” the damage to Latvia’s reputation if the parliament decides to denounce the Istanbul Convention.
The MP also dismissed concerns about the frequently cited concept of “social gender,” noting that the “mythical term” has not appeared in any policy debates and has no real impact on decision-makers.
“It seems that the only ones losing sleep are a few Saeima deputies who appear to be anxious about how to define their own gender,” he added.
In response,
NA MP Nauris Puntulis stressed that his party has consistently supported real and effective action against violence.
“We must not allow the issue of combating violence to become an ideological battleground that distracts from solving the problem itself,” Puntulis said, emphasizing that politicians’ goal must be practical action — support for victims and strict accountability for perpetrators.
He added that Latvia must develop an effective legal framework that protects people in accordance with the Constitution and national values.
The submitted declaration calls for the drafting of a new, comprehensive law by March 1, 2026, addressing violence against women, children, and domestic violence, as well as the prevention and elimination of violence in general.
The law would establish the state’s duty to actively address violence,
ensure legal, psychological, and social assistance for victims, impose strict accountability both for acts of violence and for institutional inaction, and regulate data collection, inter-institutional cooperation, and public education in the field of violence prevention.
The National Alliance emphasized that genuine results can only be achieved by embedding specific, practical, and enforceable provisions in national legislation, rather than relying on abstract commitments.
As reported earlier, the Istanbul Convention crisis has deepened tensions within the ruling coalition since late September, when ZZS voted in favor of denouncing the convention.
While coalition partners have pledged to cooperate on adopting the “security budget” for 2025, confidence in Prime Minister Evika Siliņa’s (New Unity) government’s ability to function long-term has significantly eroded among politicians.
The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, commonly known as the Istanbul Convention, entered into force in Latvia on the 1st of May, 2023.
It obliges member states to adopt coordinated policies to protect women from all forms of violence, as well as both women and men from domestic violence, including comprehensive victim support, crisis centers, 24-hour hotlines, and specialized services for survivors of sexual violence.
In the current Saeima, New Unity holds 25 seats, ZZS has 16, the Progressives have 8, the United List has 13, and the National Alliance holds 12.
Both Latvia First and For Stability! have 8 deputies each, while another 10 MPs are non-affiliated, some of whom support the governing coalition.
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