The end of bullfighting

Ten years ago bullfighting was shown live on Spanish television and souvenir shops sold DVD "highlights" of bullfighting aimed at tourists. A decade later and bullfighting is just a step away from being banned in Majorca. Majorca is changing for the better. In the 35 years I have lived in Spain I have never been to a bullfight and I am certainly not going to start now. The end of bullfighting clearly underlines the dramatic transformation in Spain since the death of General Franco in 1975. When I arrived in Majorca I would never have thought that bullfighting would be banned. It appeared part of Spanish culture and heritage. Bullfighters enjoyed (and to some extent still do in parts of the mainland) the celebrity status reserved for footballers in Britain. Spanish television always appeared to be showing the same old black and white films about bullfighting and bullfighters. But that was three decades ago. Spanish is now a modern, forward-thinking country and there is no place for bullfighting in some parts of the country. I expect that in ten years time bullfighting will banned across Spain which will be fantastic news. Animal rights’ groups from across Europe have been campaigning for an end to bullfighting for many years. But this change in Spain has come from Spaniards themselves. If anyone asks me what is the most fundamental change in Spain which Ihave noticed, I will say banning bullfighting.