deputes Political parties are divided on Aymeric Caron’s bill, which wants to “abolish” bullfighting in France
Aymeric Caron during an anti-bullfighting demonstration. — JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP
- Aymeric Caron will table a bill this Thursday to “abolish” bullfighting, during the parliamentary niche of La France insoumise .
- The anti-species MP wants to ban a practice considered “barbaric” throughout France.
- Bullfighting, precisely, is one of the rare subjects that finds defenders and opponents within almost all the parliamentary groups.
“ I hear them laughing how I role and I see them dancing how I succumb/I did not think that we could have so much fun around a grave”. Aymeric Caron took care to quote the famous song by Francis Cabrel in the preamble to his bill (PPL) aimed at ban bullfighting. The deputy antispeciesist will take advantage of the parliamentary niche * of La France insoumise, this Thursday, to try “to abolish” on French territory what he considers to be “barbarism”.
His text, already presented (and rejected) in the Law Committee last week, should once again give rise to fiery debates in the Chamber. And if the possibility that the measure is voted is weak, bullfighting appears as one of the rare transpartisan subjects within the National Assembly.
Dissensions for Nupes
Just over 90 rebellious deputies and ecologists have signed Aymeric Caron’s bill. In other political formations — and it’s rather rare —, there are detractors as well as aficionados. Thus, within the left, the ban on bullfighting is far from achieving consensus. As early as last May, the Nupes specified in its programmatic agreement for the legislative elections that “the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party will not support the proposals relating to hunting and bullfighting,” leaving these themes “” the wisdom of the Assembly.
Stéphane Peu, elected Communist of Seine-Saint-Denis, believes that his group (Democratic and Republican Left) will also vote in a majority. against this text. “Behind this debate, there is the obsession of Caron and anti-speciesists to open a door for other prohibitions, ritual slaughter or cockfighting, which are being discovered. split in particular by our elected ultramarines”, he says. “I will vote against it because I’ve been shocked by the words of Caron, who put on an equal footing human and animal suffering”. The Socialist deputies, for their part, seem equally divided.
“A subject of society; that transcends divisions”
The right should also come out in majority against Aymeric Caron’s proposal. But not all of the 62 elected. “There will be no pressure for a group vote, there will be two or three of us. stand out. It’s good to show that we’re not there. that to press a button, that votes are personal convictions, it’s the nobility of politics”, believes Eric Pauget. The elected LR of the Alpes-Maritimes has for several years been in favor of the abolition of bullfighting.
“”This is not a political subject in the sense of city management, but a real social subject, which transcends partisan divisions, he adds. There is a sensitivity new to; the animal condition throughout society, regardless of age or political persuasion. That’s why I think bullfighting will eventually die out. short or medium term”. According to an Ifop poll published last week, 74% of French people would be in favor of the prohibition of this practice, with a clear majority in each of the political camps.
The RN is struggling to; find a clear position
This perhaps explains the sometimes convoluted positioning; political formations. The National Rally of Marine Le Pen, which continues to claim to be a defender of animals, will also leave a freedom vote on the subject this Thursday. Four RN deputies from Gard have notably indicated that they would oppose the PPL, just like the four elected representatives of Pyrenees-Orientales or even Emmanuel Taché de la Pagerie, deputy; from Camargue. “I respect the opinions of my colleagues, especially in the South [territories where bullfighting is still legal], but there is confusion. It’s not a tradition that is targeted, just the withdrawal of a barbaric practice and the martyrdom of the bulls”, grinds Julien Odoul, elected RN of Yonne.
Proof of the divisions in its ranks, Marine Le Pen preferred; not to decide, by defending a half-fig half-grape position, ie the prohibition of bullfighting… for minors. “A balanced position because she is the candidate of all French people,” said Julien Odoul, without much conviction.
An overloaded schedule ?
The executive seems equally embarrassed. In July 2021, before being president of the Renaissance group in Paris. the Assembly, MNA Aurore Bergé had signed a forum to prohibit this practice deemed “barbaric”. In committee, last Wednesday, the macronists however swept aside the text of Aymeric Caron, pointing especially “the radicality” and caricature” of the former journalist. “”After bullfighting, it will be foie gras, barbecue, snails, oysters: where? do you stop animal abuse?” the elected Renaissance of the Gers, Jean-René Cazeneuve, with AFP.
The government will defend this delicate position on Thursday through the voice of the Secretary of State in charge of Rurality, Dominique Faure, preferred to the Keeper of the Seals, Eric Dupond-Moretti, passionate bullfighting and more divisive. But the text, placed in fourth position of this LFI niche day, will he have time to be put to the vote? More than 500 amendments have already been approved. been deposited. “An anti-democratic obstruction,” denounce the rebels. The same had deposited in 2020 more than 19,000 amendments against the pension reform. Francis Cabrel can sing: “Is this (political) world serious?”
* Parliamentary niches are serious days. served at an opposition group in the Chamber, to enable it to defend bills.