spanish king

ANC and CUP criticize Felipe VI for his links with Saudi Arabia and his role in the independence bid

Catalan president says Felipe VI “not invited” while Spain’s president calls for unity

Quim Torra gives monarch two reports and a book about police violence during the referendum

Quim Torra will not attend opening of Mediterranean Games after meeting with Felipe VI was rejected

Joint letter signed by Quim Torra and his predecessors calls for meeting with Felipe VI

Catalan president has demanded Felipe VI retract October 3 speech

Catalan government urges Felipe IV to retract October 3 speech

36 out of 47 Catalan MPs in Spain’s Congress supported his bid to oust Rajoy

Torrent will notify appointment of new President of Catalonia in writing

A hundred people gathered in the Catalan town of Banyoles to burn photos of the monarch following a decision by Human Rights court

European body rules that burning images of Spanish monarch is freedom of expression and does not incite hatred

The time for the main Spanish parties to continue negotiating and agree to form new government appears to be coming to an end. To explore if any of the candidates is likely to obtain the necessary support to be invested as new Spanish President, Philip VI announced a new round of meetings to take place on the 25^th and 26^th of April. If the formations fail to reach an agreement and the investiture deadlock continues, the Royal Household will “procced to the dissolution of both chambers”, the Spanish Parliament and the Senate, “and call for new elections within the terms established by the Spanish Constitution”. Conservative People’s Party (PP) leader, Mariano Rajoy, has been acting as Spanish President since the 20^th of December 2015, as elections showed a fragmented scenario, where none of the parties obtained an absolute majority nor achieved any agreement to form government.

Philip VI, the Spanish Monarch, defended this Wednesday “a united Spain” at Strasbourg’s plenary. “Europe has been built on the basis of adding rather than deducting, of uniting rather than dividing and the ability to share and be supportive” he stated. The EU can count “on a united Spain, which is proud of its diversity” and “respectful of the rule of law”, he emphasised. The Spanish King praised the Constitution and described it as “the great agreement” which “protects the regions in Spain in the exercising of their diverse cultures and traditions, languages, and institutions”. Spanish alternative-left Podemos MEP Pablo Iglesias criticised Philip VI’s role regarding Catalonia’s push for independence and stated that “the king shouldn’t interfere in issues that have to be democratically solved by the citizens”.  

The President of the US, Barack Obama, called for a “strong and unified Spain” during a brief meeting held this Tuesday with Spain’s monarch Felipe VI. The Spanish King described Spain as “one of the most ancient nations in Europe” and Obama stated that Spain’s presence is important “not only for Europe but also for the US”. Catalan President Artur Mas declared that he didn’t feel the target of Obama’s statement, as Spain could be unified “with or without Catalonia” and lamented that the Spanish Government discusses Catalonia’s case with everybody “except with the Catalan institutions”.

"I come in peace", stated the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, when a journalist asked him whether he saw himself coming to La Zarzuela Palace once again as a Head of State on an official visit. It was the first meeting between the Catalan President and the King of Spain, Felipe VI, after the unitary pro-independence list was announced for the forthcoming Catalan Parliament elections, scheduled for 27 September and likely to become a 'de facto' plebiscite on independence from Spain. The conversation between Felipe VI and Mas is a part of a series of protocol meetings that the Spanish monarch is currently holding with all the Presidents of the Autonomous Communities. The meeting lasted one hour and 15 minutes, and had a cordial tone, according to Catalan Government sources. As is the custom with this type of encounter, there were no statements made afterwards. However, before the meeting, the Catalan Government believed the King and Mas would also talk about the self-determination process.