France awards the trajectory of Juan Carlos I
The monarch will receive in Paris the Special Jury Prize for the work 'Reconciliation', written by four hands.
BarcelonaWhile in Spain the definitive return of Juan Carlos I continues to be a heated and uncomfortable debate, the king emeritus has found recognition in the most unexpected place: the French Republic. Just a few days after receiving the warmth of the public at the Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, where part of the audience demanded his return and the normalization of his figure, the emeritus is preparing to be honored in a setting full of symbolism. It will not be the first time he visits the French Assembly: he already did so in 1993. It is paradoxical that France, the nation that forged its modern identity on the overthrow of the Bourbon monarchy, now opens the doors of its seat of national sovereignty to him. The image of Juan Carlos I entering the National Assembly in Paris to be awarded represents an ironic twist of history: the Bourbon who generates institutional and political division in his own country is welcomed in the most republican France as a historical asset worthy of praise.
The association Lire la Société, in collaboration with the French National Assembly, announced this Tuesday the granting of a Special Jury Prize to the monarch within the framework of the 35th edition of the Journée du Livre Politique (Political Book Day). The reason for this award is his memoir, titled Reconciliación (Editorial Planeta), which was co-written with the Franco-Venezuelan historian and writer Laurence Debray. The book is presented by the organizers as a reflective immersion into his career, with a special focus on his fundamental role during the Spanish democratic Transition.
This year's jury is chaired by Annette Wieviorka, one of France's most prestigious historians, a specialist in the Holocaust and the history of Jews in the 20th century. According to the verdict, the jury has decided to award this singular distinction by valuing the exercise of “transmission and narration of a political and historical trajectory” of international scope. The work is defined as a key testimony that is situated at the intersection between the personal account of who was head of state between 1975 and 2014 and the contemporary political history of Europe.
