King Juan Carlos signs abdication
Print Edition
KING Juan Carlos formally abdicated yesterday, ending his 39-year reign in a Madrid bedecked with flags and flowers to hail his son and successor Felipe VI.
The 76-year-old Juan Carlos, who led Spain from dictatorship to democracy but was later hurt by scandals, stepped down in a short ceremony in the late afternoon at Madrid’s old Royal Palace before 150 guests.
He signed an act of parliament clearing the way for Felipe, 46, to assume the role in the first royal succession of the post-Franco era.
Red and white flowers adorned the streets to mark the start of Felipe’s reign, while workers hoisted a great red tapestry with the state coat of arms embroidered in gold over the front doors of the lower house of parliament in central Madrid.
Felipe will pass through them to be sworn in by the parliament today.
“There’s a festive atmosphere. It’s a party for this new king,” said one passerby, Carlos Tesorero.
Felipe faces a daunting task to clean up the image of the monarchy, which was restored after the death of General Francisco Franco.
Juan Carlos outraged Spaniards in 2012 by going on a luxurious hunting safari during a biting recession.
And Felipe’s 49-year-old sister Cristina risks being put on trial for alleged tax fraud.
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