Lorraine Williamson
More than three-quarters of Spaniards — 77%, according to the latest BBVA Foundation survey — say they do not support bullfighting. Yet the spectacle remains officially recognised and legally protected as part of Spain’s cultural heritage.
This clash between public opinion and political decision-making has ignited a deeper conversation about identity, ethics, and what should be preserved as national culture.
Heritage preserved — against the public mood
In October 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Culture confirmed that bullfighting would retain its status as protected cultural heritage. The decision ensures continued access to subsidies, legal backing, and institutional promotion for the bullfighting industry. This came despite a citizens’ initiative backed by over 715,000 signatures calling for the status to be revoked. In parliament, 169 deputies voted to maintain protection. Only 57 supported removing it. The governing PSOE abstained.
Growing dissent in the streets and online
The response was immediate. Demonstrators filled public squares in Madrid, Valencia, Seville, and Zaragoza, carrying placards and chanting #NoEsMiCultura — a message that bullfighting no longer represents modern Spain. Activists splashed red paint outside the Congress of Deputies, veterinarians joined families and students, and in Seville, some chained themselves to arena railings.
The movement continues to organise. The official NoEsMiCultura account, in coordination with the Red Internacional Antitauromaquia, has called for a major protest outside the Spanish Congress on Monday, 17 November 2025, at 10.30 am. Other demonstrations are expected around regional festivals and high-profile bullfights such as San Fermín in Pamplona.
Why resistance is intensifying
For many, the issue is not only animal welfare but a rejection of an image of Spain anchored in the past. Younger generations and urban populations are the least receptive. More municipalities are refusing to authorise bullfights, though heritage status limits the power of local bans.
Political divide and cultural pressure
Bullfighting has become a line of division in Spanish politics and society. Supporters argue it is an art form, tied to literature, music, and social rituals that have shaped Spanish identity. Opponents counter that ethics, empathy, and animal rights should weigh more than spectacle — especially in a country that presents itself as progressive and European.
International pressure adds to the scrutiny. Spain is increasingly questioned by animal welfare groups abroad who see bullfighting as incompatible with 21st-century values.
Bullfighting award deepends divide in Spain
Culture, cruelty and the future
To some, the arena is a symbol of bravery and history; to others, it is a stage for suffering kept alive by law and subsidies. The debate has become a test of how Spain negotiates its past with its future.
For now, bullfighting remains legally protected. Yet public rejection is broad, organised, and growing louder. Whether the practice endures will depend not only on parliamentary votes, but on whether future generations choose to stand in the arena — or turn their backs on it.
Source: El País