Catalonia lawmakers have stuck their proverbial varas right into the morillo of what is arguably the most violent and controversial sport in Spain by voting to outlaw bullfighting completely across the region.
According to The Independent, the issue was so controversial that many of Catalonia’s deputies hid their fingers from photographers when punching in their votes.
The abolitionists prevailed by a victory of 67 in favor to 59 against. But their narrow victory is enough to put the law into effect as early as May.
The Catalan vote is just one more nail in the coffin of what some believe to be a dying sport. Bullfighting, which has historically been dismissed by outsiders as unnecessarily brutal, is beginning to lose popularity with young people at home too.
From The Independent:
A recent survey showed bullfighting to be most popular among Spaniards in the 45-plus age group. And Spanish state television, TVE, has dropped it permanently from its schedule because, an inside source at TVE said, “it was considered too bloodthirsty for children to watch”.
Conservative Spanish press reports attributed Catalonia’s decision to a separatist desire for disassociation from anything Spanish.
Catalonia is an autonomous region of Spain. It borders France and the Mediterranean. It’s capital city is Barcelona.
[Via: The Independent]
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