The Union of Greens and Farmers’ (ZZS) vote in the Saeima on withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention constitutes a breach of the coalition agreement, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity, JV) stressed to LETA through her adviser Anna Ūdre.
The Prime Minister expects an explanation from ZZS and its representative, Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks, regarding the Saeima vote on the Istanbul Convention after her return from Germany next Monday. Siliņa is on an official visit to Germany until Friday, the 26th of September.
New Unity currently holds 25 seats in the Saeima, the ZZS faction has 16 deputies, while The Progressives have eight MPs. The United List holds 13 seats, the National Alliance 12, and both Latvia First and Stability! have eight each. Additionally, there are 10 independent deputies.
As reported, thanks to the support of ZZS — a member of the ruling coalition — the Saeima on Thursday referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee an opposition initiative to denounce the Istanbul Convention, which would mean Latvia’s withdrawal from it.
A total of 55 deputies voted in favor of sending the bill to committee,
while 33 MPs voted against it. Coalition deputies from New Unity and The Progressives voted against the bill, while ZZS deputies supported it.
The draft law, prepared by Latvia First, was signed by Linda Liepiņa (LPV), Ramona Petraviča (LPV), Aiva Vīksna (AS), Linda Matisone (AS), Jānis Vitenbergs (NA), Edvīns Šnore (NA), Jurģis Klotiņš (NA), Nauris Puntulis (NA), Ričards Šlesers (LPV), Ilze Stobova (LPV), Edmunds Zivtiņš (LPV), Maija Armaņeva (LPV), Mārcis Jencītis (LPV), and Kristaps Krištopans (LPV).
In Latvia, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence — the so-called Istanbul Convention — entered into force on May 1 of last year. This international treaty requires its member states to develop coordinated policies to better protect women from all forms of violence, as well as both women and men from domestic violence. States must also provide victims with comprehensive assistance and protection, crisis centers, 24-hour hotlines, specialized support centers for victims of sexual violence, and protection and support for children who witness violence.
Read also: With ZZS support, Saeima refers opposition’s proposal to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention to Committee