14 April 2005

MADRID - Spain's King Juan Carlos is "fairly republican", according to Spanish premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

"We have a fairly republican king," Zapatero told the Spanish Cadena Ser radio station.

"For me, a republican is someone who defends institutions, democratic values, who defends public life and who respects the principles of a free citizenship and so in that sense we are very calm and at ease," said Zapatero, a socialist.

"The PSOE [Socialist Party] is constitutional," Zapatero added in answer to whether the organisation which he leads is itself 'republican', 74 years on from the proclamation of the Second Republic which General Francisco Franco overthrew.

It was on Franco's death in 1975 that the monarchy was restored, with the military dictator having anointed Juan Carlos as his successor.

"Today, Spain has democratic values ... allowing us to say that this project [the Second Republic], which unfortunately was then unable to exist, exists now," said Zapatero, whose republican grandfather was executed by pro-Franco troops.

Zapatero has publicly expressed "affection" for the king, who endured somewhat awkward relations with the former's conservative predecessor, Jose Maria Aznar.
 

Meanwhile, Juan Carlos will attend the funeral of Prince Rainier of Monaco on Friday. The king will offer his personal condolences to the prince's children prior to the ceremony in Monaco, but not be accompanied by Queen Sofia, the royal household added.

King Juan Carlos will join members of other European royal families and leading politicians at the service. Prince Rainier died on 6 April  at the age of 81 in hospital.

Among those who will attend from European royal families are Prince Andrew, for Britain, King Albert II of Belgium, and Crown Prince Willem Alexander of Holland.

President Jacques Chirac, who will represent France, will be the most senior politician at the ceremony.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news