Paris (AFP)

The circuses are angry, animal protection associations applaud: the National Assembly was to vote Thursday the gradual end of wild animal shows in traveling circuses and dolphin or killer whale acts, after government announcements at the end of September .

But the length of discussions on a first text on the Assembly's menu, concerning abortion, could compromise the final vote on animals.

"It is becoming very difficult but we will try. Talk little and vote for these advances!" Pleaded the former "walker" Matthieu Orphelin, before the debates began in the evening.

The LREM group has redacted the text of its measures against hunting with hounds or intensive breeding, but these subjects should generate a passionate debate in the hemicycle.

For circuses, the government plans a transition in "a few years": "we will start with the animals which are the least adapted to travel, the elephants, the hippos. Then we will move on to the wild animals", indicated the Minister of the Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, on Franceinfo.

The majority will partially support a bill by former LREM Cédric Villani (EDS group) against animal abuse, examined at first reading, before his arrival in the Senate.

Criticized for the lack of concrete measures adopted so far, the "walkers" take a position on animal welfare, which is in full swing after the media campaign for a "referendum for animals", supported by nearly 800,000 Internet users and more than 140 parliamentarians.

By taking only part of Cédric Villani's text, the majority claims a "balance" on this cross-partisan theme.

Regarding hunting or breeding, the LREM want to avoid creating "a new antagonism between rurality and metropolises", explains Aurore Bergé.

The elected representative of Yvelines recalls that the glue hunting was suspended at the end of August by the executive for the season, and that commitments were made with the breeders to put an end to the crushing of chicks or the live castration of piglets end of 2021.

Among the ecologists of EDS, a small parliamentary group composed mainly of disappointed LREM, we are pleased to have played the role of "spur" and we criticize the "procrastination" of the government since 2017.

The measures against the shows of wild animals and for the ban on the breeding of mink for fur in five years should elicit a rather broad support.

Even if some cringe, especially on the right like LR Julien Aubert, and a few votes from the majority.

- "Speech of bobos" -

"It's electoral populism. It's a speech of bobos who will be able to take their children on safaris. What are we going to do for poor children? It will never be enough. After the circuses, this will be the zoos ... ", launches an LREM deputy.

By amendments, "walkers" intend to complete the bill by banning bear and wolf shows in "five years", and the end of acts of wild animals in nightclubs and television shows.

For dolphinariums, elected members of the majority would like to ban the detention of orcas two years after the promulgation of the law and in seven years for dolphins.

Three establishments hold cetaceans in France (28 dolphins and 4 killer whales), in particular the Marineland in Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes), up against the text.

Circassians are also angry.

Several dozen professionals demonstrated in Paris on Tuesday near the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

Barbara Pompili has promised to put "at least 8 million" euros on the table for the reconversion of the traveling circuses and the three dolphinariums of the country.

A "ridiculous" envelope in the eyes of Marineland d'Antibes.

France will join the twenty or so European countries which have already banned or restricted the presentation of wild animals in circuses.

"Victory": animal welfare associations welcomed government announcements.

Presented in the parliamentary niche dedicated to the EDS group, the bill was co-signed by LFI, but divides the other groups.

Animal welfare "is not in the culture of the left and that makes the PS uncomfortable. It goes back to Marx who saw animal welfare as a bourgeois concern," said Cédric Villani.

© 2020 AFP