King’s Christmas message calls for unity across Spain

IN his traditional Christmas message to the nation, King Felipe VI issued a strong plea to his compatriots to respect one another, as he condemned intolerance and unacceptable attitudes.

The Monarch spoke of coexistence between young and old, in the workplace, and between men and women. These are not times for internal bickering but for building on the diversity of thought that makes Spain great he said in the televised Christmas Eve address.

Arguing that ‘intolerance and exclusion cannot exist in the Spain of today’, Felipe did not explicitly mention political tensions over Catalonia. But his repeated defence of the constitution was interpreted by commentators as a none too subtle attack on growing separatist sentiment. 

Noting the intense weather conditions across the country in recent weeks, the King paid special tribute towards charity workers and public servants who braved the storms to help others, attend hospitals, and take care of children and the vulnerable.