The issue of bullfighting has become a source of friction in the coalition government during the European election campaign. The minority partner, Sumar, criticized the lack of transparency in the approval of a military aid package worth over 1 billion to Ukraine, and also deemed the recognition of the Palestinian state insufficient, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Spanish ambassador to Israel. The Socialists, on the other hand, distanced themselves from the decision by Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun to abolish the National Bullfighting Award due to animal torture. The Senate, where the PP has an absolute majority, passed a motion with the abstention of the PSOE, urging the government to reinstate the eliminated award for this year’s edition and also to restore the Gold Medal for Fine Arts to Bullfighting, which was removed in 2023.
The vote in the Senate resulted in 145 in favor (PP, Vox, and UPN), 97 blank votes (PSOE, PNV, Coalición Canaria, and Agrupación Herreña Independiente), and 19 against (ERC, Junts, EH Bildu, BNG, Compromís, Geroa Bai, Más Madrid, and Agrupación Socialista Gomera). The Socialists made a strong defense of the bullfighting world in the Senate, where Sumar did not have representation but one of its members, Más Madrid, holds a seat through regional appointment. The PP criticized the decision to abolish the National Bullfighting Award, calling it a sectarian attack on the national tradition and a form of censorship based solely on ideology. The party argued for the defense of freedom, identity, and the cultural roots of Spain, including bullfighting.
The PP also highlighted the economic impact of bullfighting, stating that there are 1,361 livestock farms, 77 bullfighting schools, and 1,554 professionals in the sector, generating around 75,000 permanent jobs and over 200,000 indirect ones. They emphasized bullfighting as a significant tourist attraction, with an economic impact exceeding 1.6 billion euros in the past year. The Cultural Minister justified the decision to abolish the award based on a decrease in attendance at bullfighting events, with only 1.9% of Spaniards attending such events between 2021 and 2022. The Socialist party’s stance on bullfighting was also pro-bullfighting, affirming their respect and support for the tradition in accordance with legal provisions.
The discourse of the Socialists in the Senate was equally in favor of bullfighting, with a senator affirming the party’s commitment to supporting and maintaining bullfighting as part of Spain’s cultural heritage. They criticized the PP for trying to appropriate the cultural values of the country, including bullfighting, and emphasized the party’s ongoing support for bullfighting events across Spain. The senator defended bullfighting not only as a spectacle or art form but as a symbolic ritual rich in aesthetic values, harmony, color, and technique, with cultural, artistic, and heritage value beyond the bull itself. The debate highlighted the strong divisions within the coalition government over the issue of bullfighting, with each party taking a firm stance based on their ideological beliefs and political priorities. The future of bullfighting and its recognition as a cultural tradition in Spain remain a contentious and divisive issue that is likely to continue to spark debate and conflict within the government and society at large.
