Spain's new
king, Felipe VI has begun his reign with a call for national unity and a pledge
to serve his country. The king succeeded his father, Juan Carlos, who announced
his intention to abdicate several weeks ago.
Deutsche Welle, 19 June 2014
King Felipe
VI was sworn in as Spain's new monarch in a short ceremony held in the
country's parliament on Thursday. Shortly after he took the oath, in which he
swore allegiance to Spain's democratic principles, the lawmakers and senators
in attendance shouted: "Viva el Rey! (Long live the king!).
Out of
sensitivity for the plight of many Spaniards who have faced much hardship due
to the country's double-dip recession in recent years, the royal family decided
to opt for a relatively low-key proclamation instead of a full-blown
coronation.
'Renewed
monarchy'
Speaking in
a nationally televised address just moments after taking the oath, King Felipe
also pledged to deliver to Spaniards "a renewed monarchy for new
times."
"We
have a great country. We should all be proud of being Spaniards," the new
king said.
At the same
time, he acknowledged the plight of the many ordinary Spaniards who have been
left out of work by the economic crisis.
"We
need to win the battle to create jobs, which is Spaniards' primary
concern."
The new
monarch also said he had "faith in the unity of Spain", where
separatist tensions run high, particularly in the north-eastern region of
Catalonia.
In a
further gesture of unity, he ended his speech by saying "thank-you"
in three regional languages, Catalan, Basque and Galician.
Later,
cheering crowds waving Spanish flags lined the streets as the king and Queen
Letizia drove through the streets of Madrid in an open-topped vintage Rolls
Royce. For many, the occasion must have been a welcome distraction just hours
after the national football team crashed out of the World Cup in Brazil after
losing 2-0 to Chile on Wednesday night.
Legal
succession
The new
king had legally taken office at midnight, after his father had signed legislation that set out the legal framework for his abdication and replacement
by his son.
The
76-year-old King Juan Carlos had announced his decision to abdicate on June 2.
He said he wanted to step aside because Spain needed the energy of his 46-year-old
son to rally the country, which has long been mired in economic woes.
Drop in
popularity
Juan Carlos
had been on the Spanish throne since 1975 and was long held in high esteem as
he helped the country make the transition to democracy following the death of
dictator General Francisco Franco.
However, in
recent years, King Juan Carlos saw his popularity drop amid a series of
scandals involving some members of the royal family. Earlier this year, his
youngest daughter, Princess Cristina, had to appear in court to testify in a
fraud and money-laundering case involving her husband.
In 2012 the
king himself faced widespread criticism after the news emerged that he had gone
on an elephant hunting trip in Botswana at the height of Spain's financial
crisis.
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