Robert Ménard: “Banning bullfighting to young people sends a bad signal to families”

Robert Ménard veut se battre contre la proposition de loi voulant interdire la corrida aux moins de seize ans. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

The mayor of Béziers reacts to the bill (PPL) in the Senate of the Rally of Independent Progressive Democrats (RDPI) group which will be voted on November 14 to ban bullfighting for under-sixteens.

What is your opinion on this PPL which wants to ban bullfighting for under-sixteens ?

This is a very bad idea that goes well beyond bullfighting. We cannot strip parents of their responsibility in this matter. If I had been told that children under the age of twelve must be accompanied by their parents and cannot enter the bullring, I would be open to discussion. Especially since in reality, they are always accompanied by their parents or grandparents. This PPL would exempt parents from their respectability as father and mother. This debate is meaningless because children always come to the bullring with their family.

Parents must judge whether their children are ready to attend a bullfight, it is obvious that they must be given this right. We wouldn't do it any other way if we wanted to weaken families. Especially since people who like bullfighting are socially integrated and are neither marginalized nor weakened when it comes to knowing how to behave with their children. This is a very bad signal.

“I don't think this law can pass”

How do you explain this PPL then ?

Politicians always want to show their credentials, we see it currently with the Right which is trying to be loved by the Left. I am not sure that some elected officials who initiated this PPL are anti-bullfighting but they want to send signals of goodwill. We must assume what we are and assume what we are. We must not be ashamed of ourselves.

It would be wrong to think that this is not so serious and that the main thing is that bullfights continue. We must not give up on this kind of thing. We are going through a good period for bullfighting with an increase in attendance and a curiosity was born after the attempted ban by Aymeric Caron. Let's not back down and let's not believe that by accepting this, we will calm the ardor of the opponents of bullfighting.

Do you think that this PPL has a chance of being voted on by the Senate ?

I don't think that the Republicans, who were chaired by Mr. Retailleau and remain the largest group in the Senate, are going to launch into this battle. They have other concerns at the moment than lighting a fuse that could explode in their faces. And the Senate will not have the last word and it is even more unimaginable that the National Assembly would want to address a subject as contentious as bullfighting. I don't believe it for a moment.

As Mayor of Béziers, how do you judge the arena policy in favor of young people ?

I congratulate Olivier Margé who offers the largest number of affordable places for young people in France. It is important to rejuvenate the public and when I receive bullfighting clubs, they are all my age. We need a generational renewal and we need to see, for example, twenty-year-olds presiding over bullfights. Perhaps we should make this kind of gesture because I see more and more young people at the arenas and the price is the crux of the matter. It is the only real incentive and we must continue to do it. The defense of our traditions should not be the subject of older people only.

"People are fed up with prohibitions, with having a way of life imposed on them"

Do you support the initiative of bullfighting cities (UVTF) to place the debate on constitutional law beyond the usual cultural, economic or ecological arguments??

Obviously, I agree with André Viard and the UVTF. But we will never be able to put an end to this debate. Bullfighting is an exception and a cultural archaism because bullfighting is not in tune with the times. It is not about courage, heroism, audacity and the ability to risk one's life. It is the opposite of what I love in life and what we find in bullfighting. It will be a long-term battle and we must not give up.

However, intellectuals claim that bullfighting appeals to young people because of its radicalism…

I completely agree. Last weekend, I participated in the French canon. When I expressed my annoyance with those who want to impose a way of life on us and want to ban everything we love, like bullfighting, I received a standing ovation from the 1,700 people. And there were not only aficionados and elderly people. People are fed up with prohibitions, they want radicalism and respect for their way of life. We see this in religion where the most frequented churches are the most traditionalist.