Unity and solidarity

On Saturday King Juan Carlos turned 75 at a difficult moment. Among his worries are unemployment, “secessionist policies,” and the absence of a “more egalitarian, more just” Spain — as expressed in an interview with the journalist Jesús Hermida, broadcast by TVE state television on the eve of his birthday. Aside from his awareness of these difficulties, the king also showed understandable pride in the construction and consolidation of democracy in Spain, and in the existence of civil liberties, the principal blessing of his reign.

Shortly after Franco’s death, the monarch ceased to exercise the powers given to him as head of state, returning to the people the sovereignty wrested from it by the regime. Without the goodwill and backing of the king, it would have been more difficult to consolidate the democratic framework that made it possible to modernize a country that lagged far behind the rest of Europe, and to integrate it in European institutions; to abort the attempted coup d’état of 1981; and then to experience a lengthy period of prosperity, accompanied by far-reaching social evolution. More recently terrorism became a thing of the past, and Don Juan Carlos mentioned the suffering of victims of political violence.

The young no longer attach so much importance to these achievements, never having lived amid the anxieties of the transition to democracy and the attempted coup. Thus the monarchy now has to demonstrate its continuing usefulness in new situations. True, five years that have wrought havoc in our national prosperity, and in the idea of a united Europe, have made for disaffection with national institutions. The Crown is still more esteemed than the government, parliament and the political parties; but its prestige is waning, while republicanism, though still a minority, is on the rise. The approaching 45th birthday of the Prince of Asturias, and Don Juan Carlos’s own emphasis on his son Felipe’s preparation to ensure a smooth transition, reveal the king’s obvious desire for dynastic continuity; but it is also a way of inviting the Spanish people to make better use of an institution that stands outside the struggle between parties.

Though the king is not constitutionally empowered to play a political role, certain episodes have affected his prestige as arbiter and moderator of the constitutional system: the elephant hunt in Botswana, which he admitted was a mistake, and his son-in-law’s involvement in a judicial investigation into misuse of public funds. In spite of the publicity they have received, these matters did not form part of the script prepared for the TVE program. Apart from the doubts arising from the format used, the directors of our public television system erred in raising too much expectation about what was billed as the king’s first interview in 12 years, which made his remarks rather disappointing.

But the king’s 75th birthday is not only an occasion for congratulation and for recognition of his legacy, but also for reminding the politicians that they do have power to act. The king demands unity and solidarity, and the only possible response can be to pick up the gauntlet thrown down and go to work.