Bullfighting: key part of Spanish cultural heritage, or tradition that’s on the wane?

Will bullfighting be declared a key part of Spain's cultural heritage?

The parliament of Spain is roundly expected to begin the process of declaring bullfighting as a key part of Spanish cultural heritage in an effort to inject renewed life and interest in a tradition that has suffered in recent years.

Almost 600,000 people have signed a popular petition to have the bullfight formally recognised as an asset of cultural interest. The petition, which has the backing of the conservative People’s Party (who also hold a majority in parliament), appears to fly in the face of popular opinion…

But if passed into law and made a cultural asset, bullfighting promoters would be eligible for tax breaks, while regional bans – such as the highly publicised Catalonian ban on bullfighting – would become ineffectual.

Bans and tax breaks are one thing; public interest, however, is another matter entirely. Spain’s culture ministry have released figures that show that bullfighting is in the midst of an unprecedented decline in viewing figures. As the recession bites and public money gets scarcer by the day, Spaniards have shunned the bullfight in increasingly large numbers.

According to the ministry, the number of fights a year dropped from 3,650 in 2007 to just 2,290 in 2011. Top-rank fights – which involve professional matadors fighting mature bulls aged three years and over – numbered just 560 in 2011.

There are currently no figures available for 2012, but numbers are widely believed to have fallen even further. Spain’s recession has seen public funding for bullfights stripped right back, and a number of breeders have been forced to send their bulls to the slaughterhouse.

Conversely, perhaps in response to Spain’s high unemployment rate, the number of matador applications recorded on the official register that allows an individual to take part in bullfights has risen by 13 per cent in the past six years.

However, with bullfighting widely expected to be declared as a key cultural heritage, the bloodsport is likely to enjoy renewed funding. Whether the public respond in kind remains to be seen…