The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has generated controversy with the 2025 regional budget, which reflects a clear cut in culture and a significant increase in funds allocated to bullfighting.
In total, they will be allocated 4.5 million euros to the Bullfighting Affairs Centeran increase of 5.9% compared to 2024, while the large museums in Madrid, such as the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen, will lose the direct aid they had been receiving.
At the same time, Ayuso will allocate 1.7 million euros to the Toro de Lidia Foundation and will create a bullfighting prizein contrast to the elimination of the National Bullfighting Award by the Ministry of Culture. Madrid will also host a bullfighting festival on December 1, in honor of the DANA victims.
Criticism and opposition
The opposition, led by More Madrid, has denounced the cuts in culture and the diversion of funds towards bullfighting. According to its spokespersons, this decision is part of a plan by the regional government to manage subsidies based on specific agreements and projects, favoring certain areas while others, such as employment and culture, are harmed.
Organizations like PACMA They have described these decisions as a disregard for the social needs in the region. Furthermore, while Ayuso prioritizes animal suffering, she forgets about other issues such as dwellingFor example. Madrid has decided not applying the state Housing Law, that would allow rental prices to be regulated in stressed areas.
Bullfighting in other communities
The defense of bullfighting is not exclusive to Madrid. In the country Valenciathe Government of PP and Vox granted 300,000 euros to the Toro de Lidia Foundation for bullfighting events. In Arganda del Rey, also governed by the PP, they reallocated almost a million euros from the municipal budget, cutting funds destined for electricity, employment, tourism and commerce to finance bullfighting events.
Despite public investment, interest in bullfighting is decreasing in Spain. According to the latest Cultural Habits and Practices survey, the 65.2% of respondents show minimal interest for these celebrations, and only 1.9% attended a bullfight in the last year.
Given this trend, a Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) to eliminate bullfighting from cultural heritage and repeal the 2013 law that protects it. The proposal, admitted for processing in February, seeks to collect 500,000 signatures to bring the debate to Congress.
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