King's Christmas speech pays tribute to La Palma, healthcare workers and the EU

KING Felipe VI's traditional Christmas Eve night speech called for 'public institutions' to 'show responsibility' and be 'an example of moral integrity', as well as urging society 'not to take backwards steps' in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic.

As he has for several years running now, the monarch staunchly defended the value of the Spanish Constitution – co-authored and signed off by his father, the retired King Juan Carlos I, on December 6, 1978 – stating that its 'spirit' is that of 'evoking unity and dialogue'.

In his 12-minute TV discourse, which normally takes place at around or just after the time when families in Spain get together for their Christmas dinner on the night of December 24, Felipe VI started off by remembering residents on the Canarian island of La Palma, many of whom have lost everything after more than 100 days of constant eruption.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano last erupted about 50 years ago, and has been belching lava and toxic fumes now for almost three months, wiping out entire villages in its path, destroying hundreds of homes and even claiming some lives.

King Felipe said: “The volcano has left many of you without your homes, without your livelihoods, and has filled us all with great sadness.”

He stressed that all public organisms were 'committed' to rebuilding the lives and local economy of La Palma's people 'as soon as possible'.

Then, the monarch moved onto what he described as another tragedy, now in its second consecutive year and about to enter its third – the Covid-19 pandemic.

But he stressed that 'a year on', the healthcare situation was 'very different, thanks to the discovery of vaccines and the huge number of people in Spain who have been inoculated', a process which the King says has been 'especially satisfactory' – as at the end of 2021, over 90% of residents aged 12 and over have been fully immunised, the over-70s have had a third or booster jab, the 60-plus age group will have had theirs before the start of 2022 and those aged 50 or more will begin to have theirs from the New Year.

At present, third doses have been approved for everyone aged 40 or more, but it is not yet known when, if at all, this will be agreed for younger adults and teenagers.

Despite this 'satisfactory progress', the monarch urged the public 'not to let its guard down', since the virus 'is still capable of causing us harm'.

“The risk has not disappeared; we need to continue to be careful, protect ourselves and act with maximum individual and collective responsibility,” King Felipe stated.

“We must not take any backwards steps in this health crisis that has already caused us so much suffering.”

Naturally, the King paid tribute to medical workers on the front line, saying it was thanks to them that the public would 'get through this', and offering them his 'support and well wishes'.

The 'harm' Felipe VI referred to was 'not just medical, but also financial and social', although he reflected positively on the 'good pace' of Spain's economic recovery.

But he spared a thought for the 'rising number of vulnerable persons and households' who were newly struggling, or struggling more than before, to make ends meet as a result of the pandemic, 'increasing prices, energy costs, and problems in finding stable employment, especially among the young'.

In the face of all this, though, the King encouraged his viewers 'not to be swept along by pessimism or fall into conformism'.

“I think we need to react, understand, and accept the new transformations we're experiencing, take the initiative and keep moving forward, because this is also a time for new ideas and opportunities.

“These are tough times, of course, but if we stop now it means getting left behind, and going backwards,” the monarch argued.

Spain's objectives for the coming year are about 'stable and dignified employment', a 'solid welfare State', a 'society that continues to drive equality between men and women, which is at the cutting edge of technology, innovation and the battle against climate change', King Felipe said, warning that 'differences of opinion should not impede consensus that guarantees greater stability and wellbeing in every home'.

As well as lauding the Constitution, the monarch did likewise for the European Union – at the end of a year when the bloc had lost one of its key members – calling it an 'inspiration and an objective' that has become, decades after its founding, 'a major political, social, economic and cultural reality', playing a crucial rôle in fighting the pandemic, through which it had become 'stronger' as a group, 'taking on massive commitments in terms of health, economy and employment'.

These 'commitments' include the EU funds awarded to member States to help them recover from the social and financial crises caused by Covid, of which Spain has already received the first instalment.

The funds are 'a unique chance that we must not waste', the monarch concluded.