The King calls for responsibility to avoid division, the erosion of coexistence and of institutions 

King Felipe VI has made a call for responsibility to avoid the risk of a deterioration of institutions, as well as of coexistence, warning that divided countries do not advance and the risk that this entails for democracy. Likewise, he vindicated the Constitution and the Transition, whose values are still in force, and argued that Spain is a great nation that will also overcome the current economic crisis.

After a turbulent week in national politics, the monarch took advantage of his traditional Christmas message to warn of the three risks that in his opinion threaten democracy in Spain today: "division", "the deterioration of coexistence" and "the erosion of institutions".
"A country or a divided or confronted society does not advance, does not progress or solve its problems well, does not generate confidence", he stressed, arguing that in the face of this, what union does is to strengthen democracies, something that Spain knows "from its own experience".
The Constitution, "the result of dialogue and understanding, represents the union achieved among Spaniards, as a commitment to the future, diversity and harmony, for a young democracy", he stressed, stressing that today the constitutional values are "rooted in our society" and serve as a reference to "continue to find the union that ensures stability, cohesion and progress".
Likewise, it also guarantees coexistence, "our greatest heritage", he claimed, stressing that this "needs to be guided by reason" and that "it demands to put the will to integrate before the desire to exclude".

 Institutions must be strengthened
 
To this end, Don Felipe continued in his argument, it is necessary to strengthen the institutions, which must protect citizens, address their concerns and guarantee their rights and respond "to the general interest".
Spain needs institutions that "exercise their functions with loyal collaboration, with respect for the Constitution and the laws, and are an example of integrity and rectitude", remarked the King, stressing that this is "a daily purpose" to which the institutions, including the Royal Household, must "always be committed".

It was at this point that Felipe VI responded to the expectation generated as to whether he would send some kind of message to the political class after a week of tension as a result of the suppression of the crime of sedition and the reduction in penalties for embezzlement and the failed attempt to modify the rules for majorities in the Constitutional Court by the Government.
In his opinion, "at this time we should all make an exercise of responsibility and reflect constructively on the consequences that ignoring these risks can have for our union, for our coexistence and our institutions".
Above all, he added, because "we cannot take for granted everything we have built". Almost 45 years after the Constitution, things have changed and will continue to change "but the spirit that gave birth to it, its principles and foundations, which are the work of everyone, cannot be weakened and must not fall into oblivion", he stressed.
"They are a unique value in our constitutional and political history that we must protect, because they are the place where Spaniards recognize ourselves and where we accept each other, despite our differences, the place where we have lived together and where we live together in freedom," he remarked.

 

Spain, a great nation
 
"We are one of the great nations of the world, with many centuries of history, and we Spaniards have to continue deciding our destiny, our future together," said the monarch, "taking care of our democracy, protecting coexistence and strengthening our institutions".
The King also referred in his message to the war in Ukraine, after recognizing that 2022 has been a "complicated and difficult" year, lamenting the destruction and suffering that it has brought with it.
Spain, in addition to strengthening with its allies "the capacity for collective defense" has also made clear its "commitment that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States are inalienable principles of the international order based on rules and which must always seek peace," he stressed.

He also recognized the "profound impact on the economy" that the conflict is having. "Rising prices, especially for food, are causing insecurity in households. Having to deal with everyday gestures such as turning on the heating or light or filling the gas tank, ends up being a source of concern and involves, in many cases, significant personal and family sacrifices," he lamented, calling for "the continued support of the public authorities to alleviate" these circumstances.
All this new scenario, Felipe VI admitted, causes "great concern and uncertainty". However, although we cannot "ignore the seriousness of these problems", he said, "neither can we give up on the possibility that things can change and improve".
"We have to trust in ourselves as a nation".
For this reason, he has defended the need to "have confidence in ourselves, as a nation". "The transformation and modernization of Spain in the last four decades, thanks to the success of our transition to democracy and the approval of our Constitution endorses this confidence," he said.

It is also justified by the fact that "other economic, social or institutional crises" have been overcome before, the last one being the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are a country that has always been able to respond, not without difficulties or sacrifices, to all adversities, which have not been few over the years," he stressed.
Don Felipe also placed special emphasis on the importance of belonging to the European Union, of which Spain will assume the rotating Presidency in the second half of 2023. "Europe represented and represents for Spain also freedom" since "it contributed to consolidate our democracy, to boost our economic growth and our social development", he recalled. "I am sure that Spain's commitment will be strengthened with the rotating Presidency", he remarked.
Despite the fact that we live in "uncertain times", "if the success of a nation depends on the character of its citizens, and on the personality and spirit that moves its society, we must have reasons to look to the future with hope", the monarch said.

"With confidence in our country, in a Spain that I know well, courageous and open to the world: the Spain that seeks serenity, peace, tranquility; the Spain that is responsible, creative, vital and supportive. This is what I see, what I hear, what I feel in many of you; and what, once again, will come out ahead", he concluded. "It is in our hands".

The message has been recorded on this occasion in the Audience Hall of the Zarzuela Palace, with the flags of Spain and the EU and two paintings of mythological themes belonging to Patrimonio Nacional. Next to the monarch, to his right, a photo of the dinner offered to the leaders attending the NATO Summit last June.
At the end of the speech, several images of some of the events carried out by the Royal Family could be seen, with special attention to those in which Princess Leonor has participated, including the Princess of Asturias awards ceremony. Among the photos it has also been possible to see the King and Queen and their daughters during a visit to a reception center for Ukrainian refugees.

 
Full text of the Christmas speech of HM King Felipe VI 
 
Good evening,
I am very happy to be able to be in your homes and to continue with this tradition of sending you my best wishes, especially for peace, on this Christmas Eve; and also to share with you some reflections on the most relevant events of the year that is now coming to an end.
The year 2022 has been -is still being- complicated and difficult. Just as the last few years have not been easy at all. When we thought we had overcome the worst of the pandemic -without a doubt, the best news- in the month of February Russia invaded Ukraine and, since then, we have witnessed 10 months of a war that has already caused a level of destruction and ruin difficult to imagine in our daily reality. We have lived through the suffering of the Ukrainian people and continue to feel, with deep sadness, the loss of thousands of human lives.
To the Ukrainian refugees in our country and to all their compatriots we send, especially today, our remembrance and affection.
We are thus facing a new war in Europe, on the borders of some of our European partners and allies, and therefore close to us; and it does not only affect Ukraine, but has a global significance.
Therefore, our security has also been affected. Spain, in addition to strengthening our collective defense capabilities with our allies, has joined the vast majority of the international community to support Ukraine and to reaffirm its commitment that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States are inalienable principles of an international order based on rules that must always seek peace. 
In this sense, the NATO summit held in Spain, in Madrid, served to reinforce the unity of all NATO members, and also of the European Union.
This war, together with the effects of the pandemic, is also having, as is evident, a profound impact on the economy; it has provoked an energy crisis with serious consequences for industry, commerce, transport and particularly for family economies.
Rising prices, especially for foodstuffs, are causing insecurity in households. Having to cope with everyday gestures, such as turning on the heating or the lights or filling the gas tank, ends up being a source of concern and implies - in many cases - important personal and family sacrifices. Indeed, there are families that cannot cope with this situation in a prolonged manner and need the continuous support of the public authorities to alleviate its economic and social effects.
The whole new scenario we are living through - the war, the economic and social situation, the instability and tensions in international relations - is logically causing great concern and uncertainty in our society. We cannot ignore the seriousness of these problems, but neither can we renounce that things can change and improve.
First and foremost, and once again, we must have confidence in ourselves, as a Nation. The transformation and modernization of Spain in the last 4 decades, thanks to the success of our transition to democracy and the approval of our Constitution, supports this confidence. It is also justified by the overcoming of other economic, social or institutional crises that we have experienced, the most recent being the Covid crisis. We are a country that, as now, has always been able to respond -not without difficulties or sacrifices- to all adversities, which have not been few throughout these years.
In addition to believing in ourselves, in our capacity, we need -always, but even more so in difficult times- the greatest commitment of all to our democracy and to Europe, to the European Union, which are the two backbones on which our present and our future are based.
● Democracies in the world are exposed to many risks that are not new; but when they suffer them today, they acquire a particular intensity. And Spain is no exception. But there are three on which I want to dwell because they seem to me to be very important: division is one of them. The deterioration of coexistence is another; the erosion of institutions is the third.
A divided or confrontational country or society does not advance, does not progress, does not solve its problems well, does not generate confidence. Division makes democracies more fragile; union, on the contrary, strengthens them.
In Spain we know this from our own experience. Our Constitution, the fruit of dialogue and understanding, represents the union achieved among Spaniards, as a commitment to the future, to diversity and harmony, for a young democracy. Today, with the passing of all these years, our constitutional values are rooted in our society; and are therefore the reference point where Spaniards must continue to find the union that assures us stability, cohesion and progress. And which guarantees us a coexistence which, as I have often stressed, is our greatest heritage.
A coexistence that requires in our collective life the full recognition of our freedoms, together with respect and consideration for people, their convictions and their dignity. A coexistence that needs to be guided by reason; a coexistence that demands to put the will to integrate before the desire to exclude.
In this task, we need to strengthen our institutions. Solid institutions that protect citizens, address their concerns, guarantee their rights, and support families and young people in overcoming many of their daily problems. Institutions that respond to the general interest and exercise their functions with loyal collaboration, with respect for the Constitution and the laws, and are an example of integrity and rectitude. And this is a daily purpose to which the Institutions must always be committed.
I believe that, at this time, we should all make an exercise of responsibility and reflect constructively on the consequences that ignoring these risks can have for our union, for our coexistence and our institutions.
We cannot take for granted everything we have built. Almost 45 years have passed since the Constitution was approved and, of course, many things have changed and will continue to change. But the spirit in which it was born, its principles and its foundations, which are the work of all of us, cannot be weakened and must not be forgotten. They are a unique value in our constitutional and political history that we must protect, because they are the place where we Spaniards recognize ourselves and where we accept each other, despite our differences; the place where we have lived together and where we live together in freedom.
Europe is the second commitment to which I referred earlier. Europe represented and represents freedom for Spain as well. It contributed to consolidating our democracy, to boosting our economic growth and our social development.
Today, we share many of its problems and contribute to its decisions with our own personality and interests. The common challenges we face, from health to finance or those related to our energy or environmental model, receive integrated solutions within the common framework of the European Union. Therefore, what is decided every day in the Union affects -and greatly- the daily life of all Spaniards. That is the reality.
We are Europe, but we also need Europe, which is our great political, economic and social frame of reference and which, therefore, offers us certainty and security. I am sure that Spain's commitment will be reinforced with the rotating Presidency of the Union that it will assume next year. 
I said at the beginning that we are undoubtedly living in uncertain times. But if the success of a nation depends on the character of its citizens, and on the personality and spirit that moves its society, we should have reason to look to the future with hope. 
We are one of the great nations of the world, with many centuries of history, and we Spaniards must continue to decide together our destiny, our future. Taking care of our democracy; protecting coexistence; strengthening our institutions. 
We must continue to share objectives with a permanent spirit of renewal and adaptation to the times. With confidence in our country, in a Spain that I know well, courageous and open to the world: the Spain that seeks serenity, peace, tranquility; the Spain that is responsible, creative, vital and supportive. That Spain is the one I see, the one I hear, the one I feel in many of you; and the one that, once again, will come out ahead. It is in the hands of all of us. 
And finally, on this very special night, I thank you very much for your attention and together with the Queen and our daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Eguberri On, Bon Nadal, Boas Festas.