France’s bullfighters see red over bill to ban under-16s

France's Senate debates banning children under 16 from bullfights, sparking controversy over tradition and child exposure to violence.

France’s upper house of parliament will this week debate a bill to ban children under 16 from attending bullfights, inflaming tensions and enraging aficionados of the centuries-old tradition.

Though bullfighting is outlawed in most of France, it is allowed in the south in cities such as Bayonne, Nimes and Beziers where it is regarded as a cultural tradition, despite complaints from activists.

“The aim is to kill off bullfighting. If we don’t pass on the values of bullfighting to children, they won’t go to the bullring and it will stop,” said Christine Banuls, a member of the La Embestida bullfighting association in the southern town of Bouillargues.

“We have to give every parent and every child an opportunity to choose.”

Although public opinion favours outlawing bullfighting in France, a bid to ban the practice failed in 2022, with a majority of lawmakers wary of stirring up the southern heartlands.

Put to the Senate by centrist Samantha Cazebonne, the new bill seeks to ban bullfighting and cockfighting in the presence of children under the age of 16 to “protect them from exposure to violence”.

“Allowing these traumatic shows to take place in the presence of children is inconsistent with the rest of our legislation”, added fellow senator Arnaud Bazin, who is a veterinarian by training.