For just under a month, notaries across Spain have begun collecting signatures for the #NoEsMiCultura Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP, in spanish), aiming to gather the necessary 500,000 signatures in major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Zaragoza, Palma de Mallorca, Bilbao, Granada, Seville, A Coruña, Logroño, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, among many others.
The #NoEsMiCultura, led by the Promotional Commission formed by activists and jurists committed to animal protection and cultural diversity, seeks to abolish bullfighting by repealing Law 18/2013, which declares it as cultural heritage of Spain. Since its registration on January 4, 2024, the PLI has been admitted for processing by the Congress Board, thus marking a milestone in the fight for animal rights and social perspective change in Spain.
You can learn more and be part of the campaign here: noesmicultura.org
Bullfighting has been a subject of debate and controversy in recent years, especially regarding its impact on animal welfare and its compatibility with the values of an increasingly conscious and sensitive society. Law 18/2013 granted special status to bullfighting, limiting regional and municipal competences in the regulation of bullfighting events, which has led to discontent in many communities and municipalities that wish to prohibit or restrict these events in their territories.
The #NotMyCulture PLI represents a response to this situation, seeking to return decision-making power over bullfighting to local authorities and reflecting the growing awareness towards animal respect and cultural diversity in Spanish society. With the support of numerous organizations dedicated to animal protection, the environment, and cultural diversity, the PLI aims to remove the legal protection that bullfighting currently enjoys, thus allowing communities and municipalities to prohibit or regulate bullfighting events according to local demands and sensitivities.
The signature collection, which will be carried out in person and on paper, aims to surpass the 500,000 signatures required within a period of nine months. If the PLI manages to gather the necessary support, it will open the door for its debate and vote in the Congress plenary, which could signify a significant change in bullfighting policies in Spain.
The support of political parties will be crucial. The territorial diversity of the Parliament provides an opportunity to garner the necessary support, with parties such as Sumar, ERC, Junts, Bildu, PNV, and BNG considering their support almost certain. However, the PSOE, which abstained from voting on Law 18/2013, plays a pivotal role in this process.
With broad citizen support and backing from nearly a hundred organizations, the #NoEsMiCultura PLI represents an important step towards the abolition of bullfighting and the promotion of values of animal respect and cultural diversity in Spain. The success of this initiative will depend on the commitment and active participation of Spanish society in the coming months, thus marking a crucial moment in the history against animal abuse in the country.
Bullfighting Protected
Law 18/2013 marked a milestone by protecting bullfighting as part of the country's intangible cultural heritage. This legislation, based on Article 46 of the Spanish Constitution, granted bullfighting special status, protecting and promoting it at the state level through the General State Administration. However, this state protection undermined regional and municipal competences to regulate bullfighting events, in a context where other regions, such as Catalonia, had previously banned bullfights, although this ban was later overturned by the Constitutional Court.
Despite this legal backing, statistics show a decline in public interest in bullfighting. According to the Survey of Cultural Habits and Practices in Spain, conducted by the Ministry of Culture, the percentage of people attending bullfighting events decreased from 9.8% in 2006-2007 to 8% in 2018-2019. This decline in attendance is also reflected in studies such as that of the BBVA Foundation, which reveals that nearly 8 out of 10 people in Spain are against the use of animals in bullfighting.
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