The LFI deputy behind this text castigated parliamentary “obstruction”, before promising a new “transpartisan bill”.
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L’The atmosphere was turbulent this Thursday in the National Assembly when LFI deputy Aymeric Caron castigated “the obstruction” against his proposal to ban bullfighting and withdrew his text. “It saddens me”, launched the deputy of Paris by denouncing hundreds of amendments of “obstruction”. “Applause, be proud of yourselves,” he quipped. It is “impossible” to reach “a final vote within the time limits, that is to say midnight”, agreed Aymeric Caron, during this day dedicated to the texts of the LFI group. He promised in the future a new “transpartisan law proposal” to “abolish bullfighting”.
The withdrawal of his text sparked a shower of annoyed reactions and reminders of the rules in the hemicycle. “You are fleeing the debate” for fear of the rejection of the text, accused LR Anne-Laure Blin, pro-bullfighting. At the start of these discussions, which were quickly interrupted, Aymeric Caron once again spoke out against the “torture” of the bull and his “ordeal” in the arena. Missioned to demine this delicate subject, the Secretary of State in charge of Rurality Dominique Faure recognized that this “subject crosses all of society”. But the government opposes the ban on bullfighting, an “ancestral tradition which contributes to the identity of certain territories”, she underlined. The bill was rejected for the first time in committee on November 16.
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The National Observatory of Bullfighting Cultures was delighted that “bullfighting wins by abandonment”. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation for its part condemned the “obstruction” of pro-bullfighting, a “deep shame for our elected officials”. Sometimes turbulent, the debate between defenders of this “regional cultural tradition” and animal rights activists has gone far beyond the walls of the National Assembly, with pro and anti-bullfighting demonstrations last weekend in bullfighting towns and in Paris.
“Basta” to “bullfighting”
Animalist party and L214 association: a hundred people demonstrated again on Thursday to say “basta” to “bullfighting” near the Assembly. “It’s torture,” said Emmanuelle Gaillard, a “citizen” from Clichy, in the Paris suburbs. On the other side, 13 French bullfighters came to defend their practice near the Palais-Bourbon. On Wednesday, during a visit to the salon of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), President Emmanuel Macron had ruled out an immediate ban. He advocates “conciliation” between “local customs” and “sensitivity” to the animal condition, rather than “invective”.
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Aymeric Caron wanted to modify the Penal Code, which punishes animal abuse, but whose penalties under article 521-1 “are not applicable to bullfights when an uninterrupted local tradition can be invoked”. Supporters of bullfighting like Anne-Laure Blin (LR) claim an “art”, a “regional identity”, a “popular culture” and praise the “thousands of sanctuary lands” thanks to “the breeding of wild bulls”.
The different parties divided
In committee, the debate has often focused on the divisive personality of Aymeric Caron, a former TV columnist. “Caron has tensed the debate instead of calming it down, it tenses to give a victory to someone who insults us”, loose an elected macronist. In the various political camps, the subject was embarrassing and freedom to vote was in order.
On the presidential side, before becoming head of the Renaissance group, Aurore Bergé had signed a platform to ban bullfighting. But another executive was upwind: Jean-René Cazeneuve, elected from the Gers, a bullfighting land. “After the bullfight, it will be foie gras, barbecue, snails, oysters […]we know the animal Caron, ”he had launched.
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Marine Le Pen regularly displays her sensitivity for the animal cause, but the National Rally was divided. RN deputy for Gard Yoann Gillet directly tackled Aymeric Caron in his serial amendments against “seed eaters” and a law aimed at “promoting the career of one man”. While his colleague Julien Odoul supported the ban and “animal welfare”, “no matter the author” of the text.
On the right, LR claims for its part rather mainly the “defense of the bullfighting tradition”. On the left, LFI and environmentalists support the ban, like a majority of French people according to the polls. The PS is split and the Communists rather against the ban.