King of Spain calls for effort to preserve 'democratic coexistence' facing 'extremism and populism'

King Felipe called for an effort to preserve the "democratic coexistence" in his annual Christmas message, broadcast on Wednesday at 9pm local time.

The Spanish monarch insisted on the idea to not take for granted coexistence, because it has "a fragile construction" and is, according to him, the main pillar of a democratic life.

He made these remarks ahead of the "extremism, radicalism and populism" that is present in the world nowadays. He said these waves are fed by a "lack of confidence (in the institutions), disinformation, inequalities, disillusionment with the present and uncertainty around how to tackle the future."

In an implicit reference to predemocratic times, that is, the Francoist dictatorship, he said, "it is not enough to just remember that we have already been here, that we already know this episode of history and that it had ill-fated consequences." "It is our duty to preserve confidence in our democratic coexistence," he added. Some polls are anticipating a surge of the far-right in Spain especially among young people –last Sunday, the Extremadura regional election saw double share of votes for Vox, at 16%–.

Spain's head of state said that in democracy, one's own ideas can never be dogmas, and other people's ideas, threats. In fact, he said "fear only builds barriers and noise, and barriers and noise prevent comprehending the whole reality."

For him, the current democratic societies are going through a "disturbing lack of confidence" amid "a turbulent world, where multilateralism and the global order are in crisis."

In his message, the king also called on politicians at all institutional levels to "set an example." He did not mention any corruption cases or scandals, although some of the once closest allies of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, and even his family, are marred with judicial open cases.

Felipe also talked about "the need to set dignity of humans, especially the most vulnerable ones, at the center of all speeches and political policies." He made these comments just a few days after the eviction of 400 migrants in Badalona, just north of Barcelona, from an old high school building, without any housing alternative given by the local council.

The monarch also mentioned several social and economic problems, such as the rising cost of living, housing prices, especially for young people, uncertainty at work due to technological progress or "climatic phenomena" that are more and more conditioning people's lives and are sometimes tragic.

During his Christmas speech, he also reminded that this year has marked 50 years since the beginning of the transition between Francoism and democracy, and that next year marks 40 years since Spain entered the European Union.