King Juan Carlos of Spain to abdicate

In a shock announcement, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced at a special press conference that King Juan Carlos is to abdicate.

Published: 2 June 2014 10:35 CEST
Updated: 2 June 2014 12:35 CEST

King Juan Carlos of Spain with Sofia. File Photo: Gerard Julien/AFP

"His Majesty King Juan Carlos has just told me of his wish to renounce the throne and begin the succession process of succession," Rajoy said during the press conference.

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe is to take over the reins, he added.

The 76-year-old king who took the throne in 1975 was "convinced" of his decision, and would give his own reasons for this abdication, the Spanish Prime Minister said during the brief press conference.

Rajoy described the king as the "best symbol of unity and peace" for the country, and said the abdication process would be carried "in the context of instutional stability".

The Spanish leader called an emergency press conference shortly before 10am on Monday, with immediate speculation in the Spanish press being that the annoucement concerned the position of King Juan Carlos.

VOX POP: The Local spoke to Spaniards on the street in 2013 about whether King Juan Carlos should abdicate

Spain's monarch took power after the country had experienced nearly 40 years of dictatorship under Francisco Franco.

He won widespread respect for his role in restoring Spain's democracy during the so-called 'Transition' but a series of scandals have taken the shine of the country's royal family in recent times.

The king's youngest daughter Cristina and her husband Iñaki Urdangarin are embroiled in a long-running corruption case involving alleged embezzlement of €6 million ($8.3 million) in funds from a charitable sports foundation.

The monarch himself was also criticized for participating in a luxury elephant hunting trip during the country's deep economic crisis.

S.M. el Rey Juan Carlos I abdica la Corona de España. http://t.co/s9vbalBzSO pic.twitter.com/YesVxDObIp

— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) June 2, 2014

Tweet from Spain's Royal Palace announcing the abdication of King Juan Carlos.

La abdiciación de Juan Carlos es una oportunidad extraordinaria para dar legitimidad al trono en un referéndum #democracia

— Ramón Lobo (@ramonlobo) June 2, 2014

The abdication of Juan Carlos is an extraordianary opportunity to give legitimacy to the throne through a democratic referendum, Ramón Lobo, veteran Spanish journalist with El País tweeted.

La dimisión del rey ayudará a que el verbo DIMITIR empiece a conjugarse en España #ElReyAbdica

— Ramón Lobo (@ramonlobo) June 2, 2014

The resignation of the king will help the verb RESIGN become conjugated in Spain, Lobo also tweeted, a reference to the fact that very few Spanish public figures step down.

Spain's online newspaper El Confidential said the king had resigned to save the monarchy from an institutional crisis:

ÚLTIMA HORA: El Rey abdica para salvar la Monarquía de la crisis institucional.

— El Confidencial (@elconfidencial) June 2, 2014

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