Madrid“Coexistence” has been what marked the traditional Christmas Eve message of King Felipe VI. Specifically, the “fragility” with which it can be broken: “Coexistence is not an imperishable legacy. It is not enough to have received it: it is a fragile construction.” In order for this not to happen, society needs “trust”, Philip VI has defended, who has not only acknowledged that it is now failing, but has not hesitated to point out those who take advantage of it. “In this turbulent world, where multilateralism and world order are in crisis, societies are going through, we are going through, a disturbing crisis of confidence. And this reality seriously affects the spirit of citizens and the credibility of institutions […] Extremism, radicalism and populism feed on this lack of trust, misinformation, inequalities, dissatisfaction with the present and doubts about how to approach the future,” the king warned.
This year’s speech comes at a time when the extreme right is painting the world map with droppers, and Spain is not escaping it. The latest example is the autonomous elections in Extremadura last Sunday, in which Vox shot its result. But it is not only a matter of presence in public institutions, their speeches run more and more like wildfire and lead to episodes marked by hatred, riots and violence, especially towards migrant and impoverished people, as was experienced in Torre Pacheco, in Murcia, this summer, or more recently in Badalona with the eviction of people from the old B9 Institute by Xavier García Albiol (PP).
“It is not enough to remember that we have already been here, that we already know this chapter of history and it had fatal consequences,” said Felipe VI, implicitly referring to the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, whom his father, Juan Carlos I, did not hesitate to claim by taking advantage of the publication of his memoirs: “I have never let anyone criticize him in front of me,” wrote the king emeritus.
“It is up to all of us to preserve trust in our democratic coexistence. Let’s ask ourselves, without looking at anyone, without looking for other people’s responsibilities: what can each of us do to strengthen this coexistence? What red lines should we not cross”, said Felipe VI. In this sense, the monarch has called for dialogue, responsibility and commitment “from all”; also to respect the language and listen to the opinions of others; to “the special exemplarity” of public authorities; to empathy and the need to place “the dignity of the human being, especially of the most vulnerable, at the center of all discourse and politics”.
50 years of monarchy
The Christmas speech has also not been alien to the anniversaries of this 2025: from the 50th anniversary of the Spanish monarchy, to the 40th anniversary of Spain becoming part of the European Communities (today, the European Union). So, for example, the speech was broadcast from the Hall of Columns of the Royal Palace, where the act of accession was signed – for the first time in history, the monarch has chosen to speak for a while standing and not just sitting in a chair.
Regarding the Transition, the king has praised “the collective exercise of responsibility” that it entailed and the “coexistence” that was reached: “Those who preceded us were able to build it, even in difficult circumstances, such as those of 50 years ago.” He also revealed who “set” that process on track – in reference to his father, Joan Charles I, although he did not mention him – so that later “the Spanish people would be the true protagonists of their future and fully assume their sovereign power”. And he recalled that the Constitution of 1978 came out of it: “A fairly broad framework so that we could all fit in, all our diversity”, he defended.
