西班牙加泰罗尼亚地区可能将禁止斗牛

The parliament of Catalonia is to vote on whether or not to become the first region of mainland Spain to ban bullfighting.

加泰罗尼亚议会正在就是否成为西班牙大陆第一个禁止斗牛的地区进行投票表决。

Bullfighting has declined in popularity in Catalonia but fights are still held in Barcelona

The vote is taking place as the result of a petition（请愿，请求） brought to parliament signed by 180,000 people who argue that the practice is barbaric（野蛮的，粗俗的） and outdated.

Bullfight supporters insist that the corrida（斗牛） , as it is known, is an important tradition to preserve.

They also fear the vote could be the first of many in the country.

Wednesday's vote could bring a long tradition in Catalonia to an end.

Barcelona's main bullring（斗牛场） is one of the oldest in Spain, but support for the bullfight has waned（衰退） here.

Now the regional parliament will now decide whether to ban the practice altogether.

The vote was brought to the agenda by activists who argue it is cruel and unacceptable and say most spectators in Catalonia these days are tourists.

Supporters says the corrida is an art form that it is vital to preserve.

The vote is expected to be close, as the two main parties in parliament have taken the unusual step of allowing members to cast their ballots according to their conscience（道德心，良心） .

But while the official debate is over animal rights, many believe this process is an attempt by nationalist-minded Catalans to mark their difference from the rest of Spain by rejecting one of its best known traditions.

Pro-bullfighting groups fear that a ban here could spark a wave of similar campaigns across the country. They argue that threatens the livelihood（生计，生活） of thousands of people.