MPs on Wednesday spoke out against a bill to ban bullfights, while the issue is divided even within the ranks of the majority and the National Rally.
Bullfighting still has a bright future ahead of it. MPs spoke out against a ban on the practice on Wednesday, following a bill by LFI MP Aymeric Caron that sought to ban it.
The elected deputy of Nupes wanted to modify the Penal Code which already punishes animal abuse, but whose sanctions provided for in article 521-1 “are not applicable to bullfights when an uninterrupted local tradition can be invoked”.
“We accept that a bull is tortured in public”
“I’m from the southwest where bullfighting is culturally allowed, but I’m against it,” explains Marie-Anne Soubré this Wednesday on the set of “Grandes Gueules”. “In the name of culture, we cannot excuse the torture of animals. There used to be dog fighting, but it has been banned since 1834. And even today, we accept a bull being tortured in public, with an audience cheering. the torture of an animal,” he said.
“I’m not against killing an animal for food, I’m a carnivore myself, but there is a purpose. This is only for people who enjoy torturing an animal, I’m for a ban” , adds the RMC lawyer and RMC History.
“An economy that has the right to live”
“Shame on you for denying your traditions,” replies the rancher Didier Giraud. “Bullfighting is first and foremost an economy that also has the right to live”, says the farmer. “You say it’s animal torture but it’s a show, like others go to horse races where the horses are trained like first level athletes,” compares Didier Giraud.
“Bullfighting is done to show the supremacy of man over the animal kingdom and I refuse to live in a society where we put man and animal on an equal footing. When we ban bullfighting, we put our foot in a door that will lead us to give family allowances to those who have cats”, believes Didier Giraud.
Internal divisions in the Assembly
Divisions in a plan, like what happens in the National Assembly where the issue is divided even within the parties. Within the majority, Aurore Bergé, the patroness of the deputies had in the past signed a platform calling for the ban of the practice considered “barbaric”. But his Gers colleague, Jean-René Cazeneuve, strongly opposes the ban, while the justice minister is a big fan of bullfights.
In the national concentration there are also divisions. RN MP Julien Odoul could vote for a ban, unlike bullfighting advocate Emmanuel Taché de la Pagerie. For her part, Marine Le Pen has been calling for a ban on bullfighting for minors for some time.