Why Canadians should support the movement for a Republic in Spain

By Adrien Welsh

Poster from Young Communists in Spain:
"Monarchy & Capital: two sides of the same coin"

As the march organised on June 19th against the inauguration as King of Felipe V has been declared illegal by Spanish authorities, it is very important that progressive and democratic forces in Canada stand with Spanish communists and with all the thousands of people who took to the streets just after the former King Juan Carlos II abdicated on June 2nd.

A Republican State would be far from socialism, just like the American, French or German examples show. However, as Canada’s Head of State officially remains the representation of the British Crown, Canadians understand that Juan Carlos II and now his son’s role is more than a symbolic one. We also know that a popular and massive struggle to defeat this representative of Spanish imperialism is an important first step towards a new constitutional process in which communists and progressive people could, through a common struggle, strengthen their forces and overcome the anti-democratic political system, gather a massive movement that would be strong enough to nationalize key sectors of the economy such as banks, and to demand the withdraw from imperialist institutions such as NATO and European Union of Capital.

The fact that the June 19th rally has been declared illegal is a sign that Spanish oligarchy still counts on this rotten institution, led by a billionaire elephant-hunting fanatic, to maintain its hegemony.


Juan Carlos II's main duty as supervisor of the so-called "democratic transition" after 36 years of fascist dictatorship was actually to ensure Spain’s integration into the club of imperialists countries. He first made sure, along with the Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE), the party of class collaboration financed by the CIA and created in the bosom of capitalist Germany, that the new electoral system would impede the victory of the only organised party during the dictatorship; the Comunist Party of Spain (PCE).

As a true 'democrat', Juan Carlos helped ensure the Spanish integration into imperialist NATO in 1983 and into EEC (the ancestor of capital EU) in 1985.

"Neither Juan Carlos or Felipe: The people will decide"

The Spanish Crown is also known for a myriad of corruption scandals. Just like the whole state apparatus, it now is totally discredited by Spanish population. Some analysts go even further and estimate that the early abdication of Juan Carlos was a manoeuvre to pre-empt progressive political trends hostile to the monarchy and the status quo.

Progressive and democratic forces in Canada need to raise our voices with the youth of Spain (who are now suffering from the policies implemented under the supervision of Juan Carlos II) and say "no to a second transition".

Spain is the country of Dolores Ibarrurí, not the country of the Borbón's house.

¡No pasarán!

Adrien Welsh is a Central Committee member of the Young Communist League of Canada and the chair of the YCL-LJC's International Commission.