Madrid throngs as thousands rally against the Spanish monarchy

Spain's King Juan Carlos is under increasing pressure to abdicate the throne

Madrid’s Puerta del Sol was thronged with thousands of demonstrators last weekend as disgruntled Spaniards called for the end of the monarchy.

Spain’s King Juan Carlos has suffered a chastening year so far, and on the 82^nd anniversary of Spain’s last democratically elected republic (Juan Carlos was appointed by Franco as his successor in 1975) Madrid reverberated to the calls demanding a third republic.

As the country’s economy continues to struggle through recession, millions of Spaniards are fed up with the status quo and are calling for a shake up in leadership, starting with the head of state…

King Juan Carlos had previously enjoyed almost universal goodwill from Spaniards for decades, but recent months have seen the monarch’s popularity slump. He has faced criticism for embarking on luxury hunting holidays while the populace suffers through austerity, while a widespread corruption scandal has been found to have links to various high-profile members of the royal family.

“This monarchy was imposed on us by the dictatorship, therefore we consider it to be illegal,” Maria Ayuso, a 45-year-old teacher told the Associated Press. “Also, we consider it anachronistic to have a non-elected head of state; it’s not democratic.”

King Juan Carlos has taken a series of unprecedented steps to try to massage his reputation, even going so far as to apologise for deceiving Spaniards about his hunting trip holiday, saying: “I am very sorry. I made a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

The recent scandal that linked the king’s daughter, Princess Cristina, and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, to the alleged embezzlement of public funds has been the final straw for many Spaniards, who are adamant that the king should abdicate so that Spain can appoint a democratically elected leader.