Eduardo González
The Princess of Asturias, Mrs. Leonor, swore yesterday the Spanish Constitution before the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament) and without the presence of three ministers from Unidas Podemos. Subsequently, King Felipe VI imposed the Collar of the Order of Charles III on the heiress and took the opportunity to remind his daughter that “democracy and freedom are not built from one day to the next, but day after day, and they require a continuous care and permanent improvement.”
The swearing of the Constitution took place in the Congress of Deputies, in the presence of the Kings and the Infanta Sofía. The acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and a good part of his ministers also attended the event. On the other hand, the two Podemos ministers, Ione Belarra and Irene Montero, nor the only IU minister Alberto Garzón did not attend. The leader of Sumar and second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, did attend, as did the Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats.
Fifty deputies were also missing: the majority of those from Sumar, all Podemos and Izquierda Unida and those from ERC, Junts, EH-Bildu, PNV and BNG (the latter even released yesterday a manifesto against the monarchy, which they described as “bolt to the national and social aspirations” of Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia). Neither were the grandparents of the heir to the throne, Juan Carlos and Sofía (although they did participate in the private family celebration organized at the Palacio del Pardo at the end of the day to celebrate the Princess’s birthday), nor the presidents of Catalonia and the Basque Country, Pere Aragonès and Iñigo Urkullu, present, in the case of the latter for political reasons.
The rest of the regional presidents (except for Cantabria, María José Sáenz de Buruaga, for reasons of political agenda) did attend, as did the president of Congress, Francina Armengol, and the president of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; the living former presidents of the Government (Felipe González, José María Aznar, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Mariano Rajoy) and the former presidents of both Chambers, except Meritxell Batet and José Bono.
In her oath before the president of the Lower House, Francina Armengol, the Princess of Asturias promised to “faithfully carry out” her “functions, keep and ensure that the Constitution and the laws are kept, respect the rights of citizens and the Autonomous Communities. , as well as fidelity to the King.” Felipe VI, then Prince of Asturias, took the oath to the Constitution on January 30, 1986.
After the swearing-in, Armengol spoke a few words in which she highlighted that Princess Leonor is a “worthy representative of this modern country open to the world” and a woman “close to the majority sentiments of her generation.”
“From today I owe myself to all Spaniards”
Once the Constitutional Swearing Acts were concluded, the Royal Family moved to the Royal Palace, where the King awarded the Princess of Asturias the Collar of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, the highest civil decoration of the State, and He offered a lunch to a representation of the State authorities.
The event began with a few words from Pedro Sánchez, in which he offered Princess Leonor “the loyalty, respect and affection of the Government” and wished her a “life full of prosperity and wisdom” in her “new responsibility as Princess heiress”
Subsequently, the Princess of Asturias spoke a few words: “On turning 18 today, and reaching the age of majority, I have taken the oath provided for in our Constitution,” she stated. “I have solemnly, formally and publicly committed myself to our democratic principles and our constitutional values, which I fully assume,” she continued. “From today I owe myself to all Spaniards, whom I will serve at all times with respect and loyalty,” she continued. “On this important day, which I will always remember with emotion, I ask you to trust me, as I have placed all my trust in our future, in the future of Spain,” she concluded.
“Dear Leonor, you will not be alone on your path”
Subsequently, the King closed the event with a speech in which he stated that “the oath of the Constitution of the Princess of Asturias before the Cortes Generales is the solemn expression of the commitment of who embodies the continuity of our Parliamentary Monarchy with our democratic principles and constitutional values.”
“Dear Leonor, you will not be alone on your path,” the Monarch continued, addressing his daughter. “In your family you will find the necessary more personal support, and the group of Spaniards, to whom you owe yourself, will know how to recognize your dedication and dedication with their encouragement and affection,” he continued.
“You are part of and represent a new generation that, like those that have preceded us, will have its own ideals, its way of seeing and understanding life, its vision of the world, and will also have its own challenges that will always demand the greatest of you. preparation”, and “our obligation is to bequeath to you the best of the Spain that we have received from previous generations: it is the Spain of freedom, coexistence and progress, despite the enormous difficulties that we have gone through throughout these 45 years”, said the King.
“You must know that democracy and freedom are not built overnight, but day after day; and they require continuous care and permanent improvement,” he warned. “You will have that responsibility: to continue building Spain, adapting it to a world in full transformation,” and “in this task, exciting and always unfinished, you must keep in mind the principles and values that unite us and that have united us throughout of our recent history: the principles and values of the Constitution that you have just sworn into,” he concluded.
