This is how the PSOE's U-turn with the anti-bullfighting initiative was forged: pressure from four federations and the "we're not going to shoot ourselves in the foot" from Moncloa.

Two weeks ago, the debate over bullfighting once again raged within the ranks of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party). The Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) calling for the repeal of cultural protection for bullfighting , approved in 2013, opened a debate in a party divided on the issue. Pedro Sánchez himself declared in May 2024 that he was not a bullfighting fan, and prominent figures in Ferraz and the government, such as Óscar Puente , have expressed their opposition to these events. Yet, barons such as Emiliano García Page and Eneko Andueza are fervent defenders.

On September 23rd, when the anti-bullfighting proposal reached the Congressional Culture Committee, PSOE spokesperson Marc Lamua argued that his group would vote in favor of continuing the process because, otherwise, "the debate in the House of Commons would be denied." This Tuesday, 14 days later, the Socialists abstained in the Lower House plenary session, thus defeating the proposal. This amendment to their own position because, following that decision, there would be no debate.

What happened during this period that led the PSOE to decide to make this about-face? According to various sources consulted by EL MUNDO , the federations of Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, the Basque Country, and Extremadura put their machinery into action to prevent the Socialists from getting involved in this debate. Representatives from those four autonomous regions expressed their discontent with the leadership of the Parliamentary Group for allowing the ILP to continue its path in Congress. Barons such as Eneko Andueza and Emiliano García Page did the same with Ferraz.

"We didn't pressure anyone; we did an educational exercise on this issue," notes one of the federations. " We must remember that many Socialist voters are bullfighting fans, and what we've done is express that getting involved in that ideological battle now was a mistake ," notes another. Especially at a time when the PSOE has found cracks in the PP on issues like the Gaza conflict and abortion.

This Wednesday, in a speech in Toledo, Page himself made public that he was one of those who had asked the party to halt its commitment to the ILP. " I'm glad that for once they listened to us in Madrid and changed their minds, that there's been a change of heart, and that what was intended to be a relentless race to test another of the country's hallmarks has been halted."

The president of Castilla-La Mancha also attacked the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, accusing him of trying to put an end to bullfighting on a "whim." " Cultural identities, the hallmarks of a country, should be decided by the people . Culture is a social manifestation; it cannot be imposed or prohibited in a democratic regime," he emphasized.

Given the debate that had erupted within its ranks, the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) did not decide its voting position until the very last day, according to sources who spoke to this newspaper. In fact, it was the Spanish Government (Moncloa) that made the decision on the position to be adopted. "The debate is ongoing, and we mustn't act like the PP did with abortion. We're not going to shoot ourselves in the foot on this issue ," government sources point out. This measure has sparked "anger" among some government partners. Sumar, its coalition partner, has stated this publicly.

" I'm upset, and more than 700,000 people are upset, especially ," said Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun in an interview with Al Rojo Vivo this afternoon, referring to the number of signatures that the promoters of the ILP No es mi cultura ( It's Not My Culture) had collected to repeal Law 18/2013—664,000 were validated. The Sumar leader emphasized that his group will seek "a formula" to bring the proposal back to the Congress of Deputies and have it voted on because, he stated, the rejection of bullfighting is "an outcry in the streets" and "sooner or later it will become a reality" in the lower house.

Outside Congress, anti-bullfighting activists demonstrated against the PSOE's decision with photos of Pedro Sánchez accompanied by the word "shame." They also carried signs reading: "PSOE, coward of the powerful" and "PSOE ignores the voice of the people."