On July 28th. 2010, Catalunya became the first continental region of Spain to ban the corrida – the Canary Islands having done so in 1991.
The Catalan MPs approved the ban by 68 for, 55 against and 9 abstentions – the whole Parliament having attended to vote on this historic issue. The ban will take effect on January 1 2012.
As we have previously reported during QCA’s long support of this advance, the debate was made possible via an ILP (people’s legislative initiative) signed by 180,000 people and presented by animal advocates.
In France, bullfighting still exists in the south west, under an exemption from animal welfare legislation due its uninterrupted local status; the member of Parliament Muriel Marland-Militello, who has long fought against this practice, has tabled a bill to ban bullfighting and cockfighting – a bill signed by 58 other MPs from all parties.
She greeted with great joy the Catalan vote. This success should inspire the French Parliament and oblige her party, the UMP, to face up to its responsibilities.
Muriel Marland-Militello asked Jean-François COPE, President of the UMP, to present the « Marland-Gaillard » bill, tabled on July 13th., and put it on the agenda for debate.
~ Communiqué for Muriel Marland-Militello.
Thanks to the French group Protection des Animaux for this report.