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Home » The socialists abandon animals victims of bullfighting in Spain

The socialists abandon animals victims of bullfighting in Spain

09-10-2025

On Tuesday, the Plenary of the Spanish Congress rejected the consideration of the Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) No Es Mi Cultura (“It’s Not My Culture”), which proposed repealing Law 18/2013 that declares bullfighting a cultural heritage. The initiative, backed by 664,777 valid signatures, was effectively defeated by the decisive abstention of the PSOE, which in practice added to the votes of the PP, VOX, and UPN, condemning the ILP to not even begin its parliamentary process.

The socialists abandon animals victims of bullfighting in Spain

The socialists abandon animals victims of bullfighting in Spain | Picture: #ILPNoESMiCultura

The vote ended with 169 against, 57 in favor, and 118 abstentions. Progressive and nationalist groups that supported the initiative argued during the debate that the issue was not only legal but also ethical: “Animal cruelty cannot be culture,” declared representatives from Sumar and Podemos.

On September 23, when the anti-bullfighting proposal reached the Congress’s Culture Committee, the PSOE spokesperson, Marc Lamua, defended that his group would vote in favor of continuing the procedure because, otherwise, “it would mean denying debate in the house of words.” Fourteen days later, and up until hours before the final vote, the socialists abstained in the Plenary Session of the Lower House, thus toppling the proposal. There would be no debate.

According to several sources cited by El Mundo, the regional federations of Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, the Basque Country, and Extremadura mobilized to prevent the socialists from engaging in the debate. Deputies from these four regions expressed their dissatisfaction to the leadership of the parliamentary group for allowing the ILP to advance in Congress.

Party leaders such as Eneko Andueza and Emiliano García-Page did the same with the party headquarters in Ferraz. It seems that the PSOE preferred to vote against open debate rather than risk showing internal division over bullfighting, with upcoming regional elections and a likely early general election in sight.

“As many socialist voters are bullfighting supporters, we simply expressed that entering this ideological battle now was a mistake,” said one source. On Wednesday, during a speech in Toledo, García-Page himself admitted that he was among those who asked the party to halt its support for the ILP.

“I’m glad that, for once, those in Madrid listened to us and changed their minds—that there was a rectification—and that where a reckless race was about to begin to question one of the country’s hallmarks, it was stopped.”

For the promoters of the ILP, the PSOE’s decision represents a betrayal of the public’s will. Aïda Gascón, coordinator of the International Anti-Bullfighting Network in Spain, director of AnimaNaturalis Spain, and member of the ILP’s Promoting Committee, condemned the abstention: “While a majority defended compassion, the PSOE chose to turn its back on the citizens rather than upset its more conservative sectors. Sadly, today cruelty has won.”

The PSOE’s abstention, far from being a neutral act, was a pragmatic decision that functioned as a silent veto—strategically aligning with the right to protect its territorial interests and avoid internal fractures. This move confirms that, for the current leadership, maintaining federal cohesion and defending the social capital tied to bullfighting in rural regions such as Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, and Castilla y León takes precedence over ideological consistency with their progressive coalition partners.

The PSOE, for its part, defended its abstention as a responsible and balanced political decision. Socialist spokesperson Maribel García López argued that “culture cannot be imposed or repealed by decree,” appealing to social pluralism as justification for not supporting the initiative’s consideration. For many analysts and animal rights activists, this explanation is insufficient: they believe the PSOE avoided taking a substantive stance to prevent internal and electoral tensions.

Ethical Progress

The parties that supported the ILP’s consideration united under the banner of ethical progress, condemning bullfighting as anachronistic and cruel.

Sumar’s spokesperson, Nahuel González, outlined the abolitionist stance with a direct statement: “Today we are debating whether this country continues to protect torture as heritage or whether, once and for all, we choose empathy, progress, and living culture.” González emphasized that the initiative did not seek prohibition but the return of sovereignty to the regions:

“This ILP doesn’t impose anything. It simply restores freedom to the autonomous communities to decide whether or not they want to fund bullfighting.”

Martina Velarde (Podemos) echoed this view, stating that “it cannot be that, in the 21st century, in the age of artificial intelligence, there are still people who enjoy the pain and suffering of a living animal.” Meanwhile, Etna Estrems (ERC) appealed to the majority social sentiment:

“Today’s European culture is about rights, respect, and animal welfare. For us—and for me personally—it’s clear: bullfighting is not culture, it’s cruelty, it’s animal abuse, and it’s unacceptable.”

The positions of Junts, PNV, EH Bildu, and BNG aligned in defense of regional autonomy, demanding that regulation “return to the hands of regional and local organizations,” reversing the centralist imposition of 2013. PNV spokesperson Joseba Agirretxea asked pointedly:

“How can it be that one or several autonomous communities are prevented from deciding something they have the competence for, simply because those governing in Madrid don’t like it?”

Meanwhile, the PP and VOX celebrated the ILP’s failure and defended bullfighting as a “tradition” and a pillar of Spanish identity, framing the initiative as an attack on cultural freedom.

Beyond words, the result reignites a central political and social question: what democratic channel remains when a citizen mobilization can reach the doors of Congress and still be denied even a parliamentary debate? The answer, advocates say, lies in demanding greater political courage and mechanisms that translate social pressure into effective reform.

Next Steps

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, announced that “talks are already underway with the ILP’s promoters… to explore ways to bring this back to Congress,” reshaping the public narrative after the PSOE’s unexpected abstention that blocked No Es Mi Cultura. Urtasun called the socialist reversal “incomprehensible,” described it as a “serious mistake,” and stated firmly: “We will not allow a law that shields animal torture to remain in place in 2025.”

At the same time, senior figures from Sumar and Podemos—such as Yolanda Díaz and Ione Belarra—took to the media and social networks to sharply criticize the PSOE’s decision.

In response to the minister’s remarks, the ILP’s promoting committee reacted immediately and forcefully. Gascón called it a “disgrace,” stating that the PSOE had “once again failed the animals” and lost “all credibility” among animal defense advocates.

Source: AnimaNaturalis España