The Balearic government and its usual parliamentary supporter Podemos are saying that they will ignore the national government's warning about the ban on bullfighting. As previously reported in the Bulletin, the ministry for public administration, which oversees relations with regional authorities, has sent a letter advising the Balearic government that it faces being taken to the Constitutional Court. It cites the facts that bullfighting is protected by state law and that the regional government does not have powers to implement prohibition.
The Partido Popular locally has added its support to the national government's warning. If the regional government goes ahead with a ban, it will do so knowing that this would be illegal. The PP suggests that in addition to the matter being referred to the Constitutional Court (which would almost certainly rule against the Balearics), there would be possible charges of malfeasance. The PP's Miquel Jerez says: "The government has given its assent to the passage of the legislative reform. Maintaining such a position when it knows that this is contrary to law has a name."
Pilar Costa, the government's spokesperson, explains that a legal report has been called for and that this will be made available so that modifications can be made to the proposed reforms which would be "strictly" legal.
PSOE, Més and Podemos all back the bullfighting ban, but there are differences in respect of other aspects of reform of current legislation on animal protection and also on how to proceed with reform. The Més party in Minorca, for example, would prefer that the proposals be withdrawn so that there is a specific law that prohibits bullfighting. The reform of existing law could then be dealt with separately and with a clear understanding that horse fiestas in Minorca would be able to continue without any question of their potentially being illegal in the future.