France is locked in a debate over whether to completely ban bullfighting. According to a recent report by the French newspaper Le Figaro, although the "anti-bullfighting bill" has been submitted to the National Assembly, senior leaders, including the French president, have expressed a cautious attitude towards the matter.

In France, Spanish-style bullfighting is popular in southern regions such as Nimes and Arles. However, animal activists believe that this ancient activity is very cruel. There have always been calls for a "ban on cattle" among the people, but the opposition has never entered the legislative level.

This time, a newly elected lawmaker drafted a "cow ban" bill and submitted it to the French National Assembly. "The suffering caused by bullfighting could have been avoided," he said. "This activity of killing animals is purely for entertainment and goes against the civilization that respects animal rights."

According to a new poll, 74 percent of French people support banning bullfighting. Opponents also dismiss bullfighting from a historical and cultural perspective, "it is not an ancient French tradition at all, but imported from Spain".

However, opinions in France are divided on whether to ban bullfighting. "There will be no ban in the near future, we need to reconcile and confer," said the person concerned. "In our view, this is not a priority."

Why is there a bullfight?

The Spaniards believe that bullfighting, as the most representative national sport in Spain, represents the generous national character of the Spaniards. Spaniards say that this is their nature and comes from their living environment.

The history of bullfighting in Spain can be traced back more than 2,000 years. They first hunted bison, then used it as a game, and finally put it into war. Before the 18th century, bullfighting basically showed the bravery of warriors killing bulls. In 1743, the first permanent bullring was built in Madrid, and bullfighting gradually evolved into a national recreational sport.

Bullfighting originated in Spain, is famous nationwide, and has spread all over the world. Although it is currently controversial from the point of view of animal protection, it is an ancient tradition unique to Spain that has been preserved to this day.

The mayor of the Spanish city of Gijón has revoked the right to use the venue for the annual Begna bullfighting festival, once again bringing to the fore the long-standing debate over bullfighting.

Spain is a country with a long tradition of bullfighting. However, as support for animal rights has grown stronger, bullfighting has gradually ceased in some regions. Currently, the only autonomous region in Spain that has banned bullfighting by law is the Canary Islands. Many other cities have announced their membership in the CAS International Anti-Bullfighting League, where bullfighting is no longer held, although it is not banned.

On the other hand, some regions have taken steps to protect bullfighting culture. In early 2011, Murcia became the first autonomous region to declare bullfighting an intangible cultural property. A few months later, Madrid followed up on the region's initiative, with the Madrid Community Historical Heritage Committee unanimously approving a proposal to declare bullfighting a cultural property in support of bullfighting festivals in the Madrid community.