The PAN promoted this Sunday the launch of a legislative initiative of the citizens for the end of bullfighting, expressing the expectation that the Assembly of the Republic is “on the right side of history” and does not allow “to continue mistreating animals” .
The initiative is called “Let’s end bullfighting, please”, and it was launched in front of the Campo Pequeno bullring, in Lisbon, in an act attended by several PAN leaders, representatives of associations and the leader of the party. Spanish PACMA (Animalist Party). Against Animal Abuse) Ana Béjar.
The goal is “to put an end to this anachronistic activity that should no longer exist in the 21st century,” explained the party’s spokeswoman, Inês de Sousa Real, who argued that “the progress of civilization is not in line with bullfighting.”
The PAN leader called for promoting the initiative to gather as many signatures as possible and enable its discussion in the Assembly of the Republic.
As an example, he was one of the first people to put his signature on the petition, which will be accessible on the PAN website and social networks, as announced.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Inês de Sousa Real considered that, after the deputies have failed to abolish bullfighting proposed by the PAN, it will now be “much more difficult to reject a civil society initiative that clearly shows what is the position in relation to these activities”.
He pointed out, in this sense, “the numerous requests that have been made” to the Assembly of the Republic and the municipal assemblies. “A little throughout the country we see the closure of bullrings and society complains,” he said.
“It makes no sense that political power is in a counter cycle with what is the growing sensitivity of our society”, he pointed out, noting that “the various surveys” mention that “Portuguese society does not like bullfights, it does not want continue to be mistreated.animals”.
The sole deputy of the PAN also considered that this should not be the “brand image” of Portugal. “We want to place Portugal as a benchmark from the point of view of animal protection and we believe that with a legislative initiative of the citizens, the political power -in this context as complex as that of the absolute majority- and the other deputies of the Assembly of the Republic realize that they have to position themselves on the right side of history, on the side of abolition”, he stressed.
According to Inês Sousa Real, the party will organize “campaigns and street actions” throughout the country to make this legislative initiative known to citizens.
According to the legislation, “the citizens’ right of initiative is exercised through the presentation to the Assembly of the Republic of bills signed by a minimum of 20,000 voters”.
Last week, the PAN presented a bill in parliament to prohibit minors under the age of 16 from attending or participating in bullfighting shows as performers, auxiliaries or gallows.
Source: Observadora
