Bullfighting in the south of France: can we really debate?

“I hear them laugh as I rattle, I see them dance as I succumb, I never thought we could
have so much fun around a grave.” With these powerful lyrics from the song “La
corrida” by French singer Francis Cabrel, we are reminded that the fate of the bulls is
not only cruel but it also calls into question our relationship to violence.

The French Senate recently rejected a law aimed at banning bullfighting for young under
sixteen because it would expose them to traumatic violence. Although ultimately rejected, the
question of the sensitivity of young people was at the center of the debate. But what about
that of bulls? They are, after all, the first concerned in this situation.

I come from a town in the south of France which still practices bullfighting like in many
other parts of the region. With Spain, where it comes from, and Portugal, this tradition is still
very present and there is never a shortage of aficionados.
I can understand and respect this vision because it is part of a century-old identity, tradition
and culture and it is difficult to be prohibited from what we consider fundamental. On the
other hand, I remain strongly unfavorable to this type of practice because although the
costumes and acrobatics seem beautiful, the outcome of the show seems too cruel and unfair
to me.

Indeed, bullfighting is generally defined as a fight between a man and a bull, at the end of
which the bull is put to death. But can we really speak of a “fight” when it is not consented?
Defenders of this practice say that bullfighting bulls are bulls specially raised to fight and are
therefore prepared and destined to die in this way. The fact that an animal is raised for a
specific purpose does not necessarily justify the treatment it receives. Treatment that
ultimately results in actions that cause suffering and distress. What bothers me most is not so
much the death itself of an animal caused by man for food but the staging of this death for
entertainment purposes.

Whether in political assemblies, news channels or even on social media, there are a lot of
debates around bullfighting. But is this still a debatable subject? Can we really debate staged
violence against an animal? Colombia, which has the longest bullfighting tradition in Latin
America, plans to abolish bullfighting in 2027. France, on its part, still has work to do…