Spain: King Felipe VI calls for "union" and "responsibility" in the face of the political crisis

The context is unprecedented, while Spain is going through an unprecedented institutional crisis against a backdrop of confrontation between the left-wing government and the conservative opposition.

The King of Spain Felipe VI called on Saturday, on Christmas Eve, the Spaniards for "union" and "responsibility".

“Division makes democracies more,” he said, warning against the weakening of institutions.

"I believe that, in these times, we must all show responsibility and reflect constructively on the consequences that ignoring these risks have on our union, our coexistence and our institutions", added Felipe VI.

"Almost 45 years have passed since the approval of the Constitution" of 1978, which established democracy in Spain, and "of course many things have changed and will continue to change", continued the king in this televised speech .

"But the spirit that gave birth to it, its principles and its foundations, which are the work of all, cannot be weakened and must not fall into oblivion," he insisted.

Discord in the political class

This speech comes as the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Popular Party (PP), the main right-wing party, have multiplied the passes of arms in recent days, due to a deep disagreement on a judicial reform.

This reform, intended to allow the renewal of four judges of the Constitutional Court, was voted last week by the deputies after having been added by the parties of the ruling coalition to a text of law modifying the Penal Code.

But it had to be withdrawn from the final text submitted to senators on Thursday after a veto from the Constitutional Court.

This veto provoked the anger of the left, who accused the Tribunal of “sequestering the institutions” and preventing Parliament from “legislating”.

This crisis is the culmination of four years of standoff between the government and the opposition on the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), responsible for appointing the majority of the judges of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court. .

The two parties accuse each other of wanting to lock down the judicial institution by imposing or maintaining judges of their political color there, one year before the legislative elections, scheduled for the end of 2023.