The Proclamation of King Juan Carlos I: A Turning Point in Spain
11. The Text Message to the Crown
This text is an excerpt from the speech by King Juan Carlos I on the occasion of his proclamation as King before the Cortes Franco on November 22, 1975, two days after Franco’s death. Prince Juan Carlos had been appointed by this dictator and his successor as King under the Succession Act of 1947, ratified by the Parliament in 1969. This is a political document, serving as a historical source of the first order to understand the transition from Franco’s dictatorship to democracy. It is Spanish for all without exception, especially the Francoist Cortes.
This text marks the final phase of the dictatorship and the beginning of a new era: the transition to democracy. This stage extends from the proclamation of Prince Juan Carlos as King of Spain until 1978, when the Spanish Constitution came into force. To synthesize, several key factors marked this period:
- Before the political transition, there was a profound transformation that affected not only the economy but also the culture and society of the Spanish (consumer society, influence of tourism, etc.).
- The transition was accompanied, encouraged, and served the Spanish society. It was a collective task.
- The key figures in the transition were King Juan Carlos I, politician Adolfo Suárez, and, of course, the Spanish people, who were ultimately the maximum responsible.
This text provides the keys to analyze King Juan Carlos I’s commitment to democracy in his speech at the King’s proclamation to the Francoist Cortes.
– This document begins with the declaration of the King to assume his responsibility as King to the Spanish people. He is aware that a new era in Spain’s history, marked by change, is beginning. Thanks to the various agreements reached by the Spanish political forces of the time (left, right, center), it is possible to walk with a firm step towards democracy.
Second, after asking God for help, he hopes to be the guardian of the constitutional system, which seems to anticipate the idea that Spain will develop a constitution, as it did in 1978. He expresses his desire to be King