"The story of the last six years in Spain is almost a thriller", "the King Emeritus has betrayed his son", "(Juan Carlos I) will not return to Spain until the Public Prosecutor's Office clarifies his situation", "I do believe that Leonor will reign", "Pedro Sánchez has supported the King at crucial moments". These were some of the messages from José Antonio Zarzalejosjurist, journalist, former editor of El Correo and ABC, political analyst and writer, in the dialogue he held with David Jiménezalso a journalist, former editor of El Mundo, political analyst and writer, during a new edition of the PROA Observatory held today at the headquarters of Deusto Business School in collaboration with Editorial Planeta.
The event, which focused on Zarzalejos' latest work, 'Felipe VI, un rey en la adversidad', was presented by Lucía Casanueva, managing partner at PROA together with Valvanuz Serna, who framed it in the consultancy's objective of participating in the reflection for progress.
The deputy to the president of El Confidencial explained that the aim of writing the book was to "reconstruct the lesser-known episodes of these six years" of Felipe VI's reign, after perceiving an "editorial blackout" regarding him from 2018.
A book, "long in the making, but produced fairly quickly", which, he explained, hinges on four key points: an immersion in the history of the Spanish and European monarchy, another of a constitutional legal nature to examine the resolutions since the abdication of Juan Carlos I, which did not meet with the King's approval ("whom I have known since 1999") and an approach to him through people who know him well, "the most difficult phase".
Zarzalejos reviewed the most important milestones of Felipe VI's reign and highlighted the difficulties he has had to face after his father's "betrayal" by handing him a Crown "with a lamentable reputation", but he believed that the Monarchy is not in danger and that his daughter Leonor will reign, if "some convulsive element does not arise when the investigation into the King Emeritus concludes". He argued that the current monarch has the "ability to come back", about whom "the CIS has not asked about since 2015", but who personally has almost a "B", that changing the form of the State to a Republic requires a constituent process and that "Leonor is a woman and we are in the century of women", and does not have "negative adherences". To this he added the example of other European parliamentary monarchies that work perfectly. "And kings make sense in democracies to the extent that they are functional", he added. He also rejected the possibility of a referendum on the Monarchy, arguing that it has constitutional legitimacy and that without a constituent process there are no mechanisms for doing so.
He agreed with David Jiménez that the greatest damage to the Monarchy has been caused by Juan Carlos I, a name practically avoided throughout the talk in favour of "King Emeritus", but disagreed about the "socialisation of blame" in the journalistic, media and business protection of the Monarchy. "The responsibility for private conduct lies with him and him alone," he said forcefully.
A situation which, in his opinion, has on many occasions provoked an "almost inquisitorial scrutiny" of his son, who, according to the writer, is aware that his actions must follow "criteria of exemplarity in public and in private", because his function is "to be an example and a reference of civic values".
Questioned about the role of the PSOE during the reign of Felipe VI, he disagreed with the widespread opinion that Pedro Sánchez is "comfortable keeping it in irrelevance", in the words of David Jiménez. On the contrary, he said that the current President of the Government, despite "some mistakes", has had "a positive behaviour towards the King, but silently, he has supported the King at crucial moments".
And he justified these silences on the grounds of having to share the table of the Council of Ministers with an anti-monarchist and republican party such as Podemos. In this sense, he rejected the right's "unjustified criticism" of the head of the Executive for his ability to exacerbate the most anti-monarchist bases of socialism.
The two journalists also discussed the difficult role played by Queen Letizia, "the first commoner queen consort, with a previous marriage, a brilliant professional and very open-minded", in the words of Zarzalejos, who praised the fact that, despite not having a constitutional role, she has adapted to her position and, moreover, "wants to contribute to the Crown".
Regarding the communication policy of the Royal Household, he considered that it needs to change and should be more proactive, with more substantial speeches in terms of content, and he believed that the King "has a pending conversation with Spanish society". A conversation that, according to the political analyst, cannot take place until his father's responsibilities are cleared up and society is so tense.
In conclusion, he predicted that the return of the King Emeritus to Spain would not take place until "the Public Prosecutor's Office clarifies his situation", because "he is subject to the discipline of the Royal House and the Government".