By Andrew Ede
In his Christmas Eve message, King Felipe focused almost entirely on a defence of the 1978 Spanish Constitution.
Against the background of the Sánchez government's agreements with Catalan independence parties, such as the amnesty law, the King was firm in stating the need for respect of the Constitution. Without it, "no democracy or coexistence is possible". "There are no freedoms, but imposition. There is no law, but arbitrariness. There is no Spain at peace, nor liberty."
The Constitution, the King emphasised, "is the best example of the union and coexistence between the Spanish people".
The monarch referred to division, "which has been the cause of many errors in the history of Spain and that has opened wounds, fractured affections and distanced people". The Constitution is key to overcoming these errors. "Preventing the germ of discord from ever establishing itself among us is a moral duty that we all have. Because we cannot afford it."
The King stressed that every citizen has the right to "think, express themselves and defend their ideas with freedom and respect for others". At the same time, democracy requires "basic and broad consensus", with the Constitution as the framework.
"The ultimate reason for the successes and progress of recent history has been the unity of the country." This has been based on democratic values, cohesion and the "solid" links between the state and the regional autonomous communities as well as the solidarity between them.
"I have no doubt that unity will also be the key for us to successfully face the serious and complex future challenges that Spain faces today."
December 25, 2023 at 02:16AM
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