King Juan Carlos moderates in economic crisis

Spain’s King Juan Carlos has decided to take an active role in helping the country out of recession, and on Thursday attended closed meetings with the Minister for Tax & Economy, Elena Salgado, and the ex Chairman of Caja Madrid, Miguel Blesa.

On Friday the Monarch met with leaders of the 2 main unions in Spain, Cándido Méndez of the UGT, and Ignacio Fernández Toxo from CCOO. On the Monarchy’s private website a statement revealed that the meeting with Elena Salgado on Thursday followed a week ‘full of important news’ about the economic crisis.

The media’s response to the King’s involvement has so far been mixed, however, the Government formally thanked the King for taking an active role.

The Partido Popular has said that they will only accept a pact between parties if it contains ‘concrete measures’. Mariano Rajoy has said that he will support Zapatero if he starts to do things ‘with common sense’. PP sources say that so far at least, they have received no invitations from the King, while Rosa Díez from the UPyD has said that such a pact is impossible with the PP and the PSOE as they are.

However, Gaspar Llamazares from the I.U. does not approve of the King’s involvement, saying how he recognised the Monarch’s ‘moderating capacity’ in a social and political setting, but says that any anti-crisis pact is the responsibility of the Government alone.

The Catalan Nationalist Carod Rovira has strongly approved of the efforts of King Juan Carlos.

Meanwhile Spain’s unions are organising protests at the economic situation and a week of demonstrations is being put together. The first day of marches will be February 23 when there will be marches in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.