The Constitutional Court will start examining the case regarding the Istanbul Convention

Last autumn, the Seimas appealed to the CT, asking to evaluate the provisions of the convention, which talk regarding gender in a social aspect, gender-based violence once morest women and the fact that, among other things, material regarding non-stereotypical gender roles should be included in the official education program.

“The Seimas states that the conclusion of the Constitutional Court on whether the specified provisions of the Convention comply with the Constitution would be of fundamental importance when the Seimas decides on the ratification of this convention submitted by the President to the Seimas in 2018,” the Constitutional Court points out.

The CT is asked to clarify whether concepts such as “social aspect of gender”, “social gender”, “non-stereotypical roles based on the social aspect of gender”, “non-stereotypical gender roles” used in the convention do not contradict the Constitution of Lithuania.

The Seimas’ appeal to the CT was initiated by the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, noting that Lithuania has signed the Istanbul Convention for ten years, but has not ratified it.

According to the leader of the Parliament, every time the Seimas considers this issue, letters are received with calls to respect the Constitution and not to take decisions that contradict it, which is why the CT assessment is requested.

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence once morest women and domestic violence was adopted in 2011, Lithuania signed it on June 7, 2013.

Former President Dalia Grybauskaitė submitted the Istanbul Convention to the Seimas of Lithuania for ratification, but the process got stuck due to disagreements between politicians on some provisions of the document.

The experts of the Council of Europe claim that Lithuania would benefit from advice on curbing domestic violence. The Catholic Church and some politicians say that because of the convention, Lithuania may have to change the concept of gender and introduce unacceptable provisions on homosexuality.