The Andalusian Parliament approves the first ‘flamenco law’ with the abstention of the opposition | Culture

The plenary session of the Andalusian Parliament has approved this Wednesday, with the abstention of the opposition groups, the first regional flamenco law with the aim of protecting and disseminating this art, which will be included in the educational system. The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Arturo Bernal, assured in his speech that Andalusia “will continue to be the cradle of flamenco” thanks to this rule. The approval was received by clapping hands by the artists and representatives of the sector who met in the Plenary Hall, such as the bailaores Farruquito, Cristina Hoyos and Manuela Carrasco or the cantaores Tomatito, El Pele and Pepe de Lucía. Later, some of them have danced and sung to celebrate it at the gates of Parliament.

“The universe of flamenco is made up of clubs, associations, chairs, businessmen and artists, and because of you and thanks to you we have developed this law, so that it is your framework to ensure that flamenco continues to be the indisputable reference of Andalusian culture”, Bernal said addressing the attendees. For his part, the Andalusian president, Juan Manuel Moreno, celebrated the approval of the regulation on his Twitter account: “It was a collective wish and we have made it come true: Andalusia approves its first Flamenco Law for its protection and transmission to future generations”.

The text has gone ahead with the exclusive votes of the Popular Parliamentary Group, although it has mistakenly received the favorable vote of an opposition parliamentarian, as the law added 59 yeses, one more than the 58 deputies that make up the PP. The rest of the groups in the Chamber, PSOE, Vox, Por Andalucía and Adelante Andalucía, have abstained. The approved norm seeks to provide flamenco with a legal regime to guarantee its protection, conservation, and the promotion of its knowledge for its use as a social good and as an intangible cultural heritage of Andalusia and to ensure its transmission to future generations.

In the debate that intervened, on behalf of the PP-A, the deputy Pilar Pintor, who has dedicated words of suspicion and recognition to “the entire Andalusian Governing Council” chaired by Juanma Moreno, with special mention to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Deporte, Arturo Bernal, and “his entire team” for what he has described as a “magnificent text” that represents “the first regulation” in Andalusia “regarding our most recognized and applauded artistic manifestation in the entire world”, according to Valued the deputy, who has defended that we must be “proud” of the “crucial and historic” moment that involves approving this law with the “consensus” of the parliamentary groups, as she has also celebrated.

The socialist deputy Rafael Recio has stated in his speech that “the legislative text does not speak well, it does not speak clearly, nor does it give certainty” considering that “we are all aware that it arose from a Strategic Plan and there we will see the economic commitment”. “We will celebrate the approval, but we could have gone much further,” said the Socialist deputy.

Vox parliamentarian Antonio Sevilla has indicated that the Andalusian Flamenco Law “has generated certain doubts among the social agents themselves, among the artists”, while he has claimed that “art only has to be allowed to be and work”. Seville has considered that “it may be that the world of flamenco does not need this regulation” after arguing that “flamenco cannot be limited to administrative borders”.

Lastly, the spokesperson for the Por Andalucía group, Inmaculada Nieto, has assessed that the bill has been “improved” during its parliamentary process, with the inclusion of some amendments from her coalition, although she has considered that “we have not been able to to reach the level of concretion that the artists and connoisseurs” of flamenco asked us for in terms of the development and establishment of the teaching of this art in the educational system. “We have fallen short,” lamented Nieto.