Spain’s new king Felipe VI promised a brighter future for Spain during a time of economic turmoil and distress as he took the throne Thursday.
Felipe’s takeover of the throne came sooner than expected after his father, Juan Carlos, 76, stepped down unexpectedly. Carlos gave the reigns over to his son because he believed that it would take someone younger to bring the country out of its current crisis. Felipe started things off on the right foot by addressing the issues at hand and even having a low key royal ceremony in order to show his respect to those who are poor and jobless.
According to VOA News, in his first speech as king, Felipe primarily stressed his desire for national unity. He also demonstrated respect for all of Spain’s diverse cultures, languages, and people, including the people in Catalonia and Basque country that are striving to secede from Spain. The leaders of Catalonia and Basque country were delighted by his incorporation of their languages into the speech and applauded after quietly siting with the parliament during the majority of the ceremony. Felipe also assured to the people that providing jobs for the unemployed was his top priority.
Felipe has a lot on his plate when it comes to restoring the country. Spain is currently in a double dip recession which has led to a 26 percent job loss rate. Many have also lost hope in the monarchy after various scandals, causing certain regions in Spain to fight for independence from the country, The Associated Press noted.
Despite all of this, hopes are high that king Felipe will get the country back on its feet as he promises to reconstruct the monarchy after several scandals in the past. A reception for 2,000 guests will take place later on today with only finger foods as another way to show respect for the country’s hard times.