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Barcelona city council removes bust of former king of Spain Barcelona council removes bust of former king of Spain from city hall
(about 2 hours later)
The empty space, roughly the size of a cereal box, is barely noticeable amidst the rich decor of Barcelona city hall’s main chamber. The empty space, roughly the size of a cereal box, is barely noticeable amid the rich decor of Barcelona city hall’s main chamber.
But this small area has become a focal point across Spain after the newly elected leftist government in the city took down the bronze bust of former king Juan Carlos, just hours after his son, King Felipe VI, weighed in on Catalan independence.But this small area has become a focal point across Spain after the newly elected leftist government in the city took down the bronze bust of former king Juan Carlos, just hours after his son, King Felipe VI, weighed in on Catalan independence.
The bust was removed as part of a review of monarchical symbols in Barcelona’s municipal buildings and across the city, said Gerardo Pisarello, Barcelona’s deputy mayor. “The monarchy is overrepresented in terms of iconography and symbols in the municipal buildings and in the city,” he said. “Barcelona has a longstanding tradition of republicanism that hasn’t been sufficiently recognised.” The bust was removed as part of a review of royalist symbols in Barcelona’s municipal buildings and across the city, said Gerardo Pisarello, Barcelona’s deputy mayor. “The monarchy is over-represented in terms of iconography and symbols in the municipal buildings and in the city,” he said. “Barcelona has a longstanding tradition of republicanism that hasn’t been sufficiently recognised.”
He brushed off concerns about breaking a law that requires all council chambers in Spain to house some sort of representation of the head of state, pointing out that Juan Carlos stepped down more than a year ago. He brushed off concerns about breaking a law that requires all council chambers in Spain to house some representation of the head of state, pointing out that Juan Carlos stepped down more than a year ago.
City officials would now begin exploring how best to comply with the law and stay true to the council’s majority republican stance, he said. “While the monarchy is a constitutional institution, it’s an anomaly in democratic terms.” His position echoed that of Barcelona’s mayor, Ada Colau, who was among many who called for a referendum on the monarchy in the days after Juan Carlos’s abdication last year.City officials would now begin exploring how best to comply with the law and stay true to the council’s majority republican stance, he said. “While the monarchy is a constitutional institution, it’s an anomaly in democratic terms.” His position echoed that of Barcelona’s mayor, Ada Colau, who was among many who called for a referendum on the monarchy in the days after Juan Carlos’s abdication last year.
The likeness came down on the same day that Felipe warned Catalan leaders that the push for secession could not take precedence over the law. A joint ticket of separatist politicians, led by the Catalan president Artur Mas, has said they are ready to declare unilateral independence from Spain if they win a majority in the regional elections at the end of September. The likeness came down on the same day that Felipe warned Catalan leaders that the push for secession could not take precedence over the law. An alliance of separatist politicians, led by the Catalan president, Artur Mas, have said they are ready to declare unilateral independence from Spain if they win a majority in the regional elections at the end of September.
In his most pointed remarks on the issue to date, Spain’s king said “public authorities are subject to the rule of law, and it is by respecting it that they guarantee orderly functioning of the state”. In his most pointed remarks on the issue to date, Spain’s king said: “Public authorities are subject to the rule of law, and it is by respecting it that they guarantee orderly functioning of the state.”
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He stopped short of referring to Catalonia or the push for independence, but the remarks were made at an address in Barcelona where Mas was present. “Respect for the law is a source of legitimacy and an unavoidable requirement for living together democratically in peace and freedom,” added the king. He stopped short of referring to Catalonia or the push for independence, but the remarks were made at an address in Barcelona at which Mas was present. “Respect for the law is a source of legitimacy and an unavoidable requirement for living together democratically in peace and freedom,” added the king.
On Friday, PP politician Alberto Fernández Díaz rushed to put up a portrait of King Felipe VI in the empty spot in Barcelona’s main chamber room. Calling the decision to remove the bust “reprehensible”, he described it as a coming together of the anti-monarchists of the far-left and those pushing for Catalan separation. “It’s a mockery of the monarchy from a city that owes Juan Carlos a lot, including the Olympic Games,” he said. On Friday, Alberto Fernández Díaz, head of the conservative People’s party bloc at the city council, rushed to put up a portrait of King Felipe VI in the empty spot in Barcelona’s main chamber. Calling the decision to remove the bust “reprehensible”, he described it as a coming together of the anti-monarchists of the far-left and those pushing for Catalan separation. “It’s a mockery of the monarchy from a city that owes Juan Carlos a lot, including the Olympic Games,” he said.
Minutes later, the portrait was quietly taken down by Pisarello.Minutes later, the portrait was quietly taken down by Pisarello.
Spain’s foreign affairs minister weighed in on the row on Friday, calling the matter “tremendously petty” and reminding Colau that she owed her position as mayor to the efforts of the former king. “Catalonia has a regime of self-governance and prosperity like never before, thanks to the transition that was piloted by Juan Carlos,” José Manuel García-Margallo said in an interview with broadcaster Onda Cero. Spain’s foreign minister weighed in on the row on Friday, calling the matter “tremendously petty” and reminding Colau that she owed her position as mayor to the efforts of the former king. “Catalonia has a regime of self-governance and prosperity like never before, thanks to the transition that was piloted by Juan Carlos,” José Manuel García-Margallo said in an interview with broadcaster Onda Cero.