New figures confirm, yet again, that the vast majority of Spanish people are losing an interest in bullfighting. The poll, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of World Animal Protection, found that Spaniards do not support bullfights. In fact, support has dropped sharply in the past three years and mirrors a similar decline in the number of people going to watch bullfights.
This is further evidence that bullfighting is on the way out – especially as opposition is even higher among young people.
A huge 93 per cent of 16-to-24 year olds say they don’t support bullfighting, according to the survey, a trend that points to a brighter future for animals in Spain.
Almost three-quarters of respondents also said they disagreed with the use of public funds to support bullfighting. Currently, EU subsidies to the tune of around €100 million a year go to farmers who raise bulls for bullfights, while inside Spain, still more government money is thrown at bullfights.
At the end of last year, however, 438 out of 687 MEPs in the European Parliament voted in favour of an amendment that would stop these EU agricultural subsidies from being used to raise bulls for bullfights.