Protest Held in Riga Against Proposed Abortion Law Amendments

Protesters Gather at Saeima Against Abortion Restrictions

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, approximately 250 individuals, predominantly younger people, convened in front of the Saeima (Latvian Parliament) in Riga to protest proposed amendments to the Law on Sexual and Reproductive Health. The demonstration highlighted concerns that the proposed changes would restrict abortion access and infringe upon women's reproductive rights.

Details of the Proposed Amendments

The controversial amendments have been put forward by opposition Members of Parliament, including Jānis Grasbergs and Jurģis Klotiņš from the National Alliance, and Ramona Petraviča of Latvia First. Key proposals include:

• Making it compulsory for a woman and the father of the child to attend counselling if the woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy.
• Introducing the term 'unborn life' into the law, defined as 'human life that begins at the moment of fertilisation through the fusion of male and female gametes'.

Proponents of the amendments suggest the counselling would be designed to 'encourage the continuation of the pregnancy and to open up the prospect of life with a child', with a certificate of participation issued upon completion. Critics argue these measures are a direct attack on women's autonomy and health rights.

Current Legal Framework and Official Reactions

Under current Latvian law, abortion is legal upon request within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and for medical reasons up to 22 weeks. The existing legislation already allows for voluntary counselling. The Ministry of Health has noted a continuous decline in induced abortions in Latvia, reporting one of the lowest rates in the European Union at 6.3 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age last year.

While the Saeima commission did not support the specific proposals on October 21, the amendments are still slated for further consideration in a third reading, with a deadline for submitting additional proposals set for November 6. However, the ruling coalition partners, including New Unity and the Union of Greens and Farmers, have publicly stated their intention not to support the proposed restrictions. Edmunds Jurevics, chair of the New Unity faction, expressed confidence that a majority in the Saeima would reject such proposals, while Andris Suvajevs of the Progressives' faction characterized them as a 'direct attack on women's rights'.