Without the emeritus king and with "tension" from the attorney general: this is how the 50th anniversary of the Spanish monarchy has been

MadridThe day after 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco FrancoThe royal household has celebrated the restoration of the monarchy. The event, held at the Royal Palace, was marked by the absence of King Juan Carlos I and also of yesterday's main figure, the Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, who declined to attend after... the sentence for revealing secrets imposed by the Supreme CourtIsabel Díaz Ayuso also did not attend, instead scheduling a second event in Congress, also presided over by Felipe VI, to counter-program a press conference called to attack García Ortiz and Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister. "November 20th, 2025 will go down as a historic day for Spanish democracy. The courts have convicted a State Attorney General for committing a crime with the sole objective of attacking a political opponent. These actions are typical of a dictatorship," the Madrid president said, at the same time as the democratic process of the Transition was condemned.

Ayuso's statements have demonstrated the political tension that has marked the commemoration. The monarch, in his speech at the Royal Palace, lamented that, unlike the Transition period, the current climate is one of polarization. "Looking back to that period can serve not to idealize it, but to remember its methods: words versus shouting, respect versus contempt, and the pursuit of agreement versus imposition," he asserted. Felipe VI delivered these remarks accompanied only by members of the People's Party (PP) and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). No other party from the plurinational majority was present during the day, as is customary at events of the monarchy. Vox also boycotted the event. In fact, its leader, Santiago Abascal, criticized Alberto Núñez Feijóo from Extremadura for whitewashing the Spanish government with his participation in the commemoration. The PP leader was seated next to the Minister of the Presidency and Justice, Félix Bolaños, but they were not seen interacting.

This was not the only call for understanding. In the Congress colloquium between three academics and the former Socialist president of the Senate, Juan José Laborda, the latter made a direct appeal "to the members of the government and the opposition": "Make a clean break. We did it in 1978," he urged. Felipe VI acknowledged the work of four people who made it possible half a century ago. He awarded the Illustrious Order of the Golden Fleece to the former Socialist president of the Spanish government, Felipe González, the members of the constitutional drafting committee, Miguel Herrero and Miquel Roca, and his mother, Queen Sofía. "Of course, [the Transition] was not perfect, but to judge it by what it omitted would be unfair," he said, emphasizing that Sofía "strongly supported King Juan Carlos in his wise and early commitment to democratic openness and freedoms."

The figure of the emeritus

Juan Carlos I was not present—he was only invited to a private lunch this Saturday—but he was mentioned repeatedly. In his speech, Felipe VI praised his father's role in the establishment of democracy. "The firm will of the Crown contributed decisively to this," said the monarch, who insisted that the institution headed at that time by the emeritus king acted as a "key catalyst." "The monarchy then assumed a clearly active role. It integrated all Spaniards at a crucial moment," he emphasized. Beyond Felipe VI's address, praise for the monarchy and Juan Carlos I was a constant theme this Friday morning. In the subsequent discussion, moderated by journalists Iñaki Gabilondo and Fernando Ónega, all the speakers acknowledged the emeritus king's contribution. "Who dares to deny the merit of his figure? The head of state assumed total power and handed it over to popular sovereignty. It's a good opportunity to try to share the credit and not deny it to the Crown," Gabilondo argued. History professor Juan Pablo Fusi defended his "firm" actions during the attempted coup of February 23rd. "He gave the monarchy fully democratic legitimacy," he said.

This rehabilitation of Juan Carlos I comes amidst the controversy surrounding the publication of his memoirs. In the book ReconciliationThe former king speaks of the dictator with tenderness and admiration. "I never let anyone criticize him in my presence," he states. The former king also complains of being sidelined due to the alleged corruption scandals surrounding him. Onega has argued that this connection to Franco does not diminish his role in the transition to democracy. "A king appointed by Franco, as he obsessively recalls, was the destroyer of Franco's regime," the journalist has said.

The hangover for the prosecutor

Beyond Ayuso, who accused the Attorney General of acting in "coordination" with Sánchez to "eliminate" her "through illegitimate means," Vox also pressured the Spanish president, demanding his resignation over García Ortiz's conviction. The Spanish government remains firm on the other side of the debate. The Minister for Digital Transformation, Óscar López, has defended the Attorney General's innocence "despite what the Supreme Court says." "If the Attorney General is not innocent, then several prestigious journalists have lied," he argued, warning that the conviction sends the message that Ayuso is untouchable. The Second Vice President, Yolanda Díaz, of Sumar, who was absent from Friday's events, has closed ranks with the PSOE and said that the high court's decision is "political" and an "anomaly." "It will be studied in every law school in Spain," she predicted.