In the context of the public debate sparked by the recent publication of the memoirs of Juan Carlos I and the commemoration of the half century that has passed since the restoration of the monarchy in Spain, Compromís has focused part of its demands on the need to open access to historical documentation, particularly related to the coup attempt of February 23, 1981. At the same time, the training has promoted the call for consultations of new citizens on the preference between monarchy and Republic and positioned the debate above the monarchical institution on the parliamentary agenda. As published by the media, the deputy Alberto Ibáñez, member of Compromís and the Sumar parliamentary group, has registered in Congress a series of formal questions that, in addition to demanding transparency, also aim to have the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) include an explicit question on the social perception of the monarchy in its national barometers.
The media detailed that Ibáñez described the publication of the book “Reconciliation,” signed by King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, as a “personal vendetta against the current kings” and as an act that, in his analysis, represents “a humiliation to the victims of the dictatorship” and reflects in its pages “an exaltation of Francisco Franco.” Ibáñez defended the need for the executive to promote a higher level of institutional openness to historical episodes related to the monarchy, especially those related to political transition and the consolidation of democracy.
According to information published by the media, the compromise proposal also includes a formal request to the government to establish a schedule for the release of documentation related to 23F and calls for citizens to receive comprehensive information about events considered important in recent history. This request, as Ibáñez expressed, aims to promote transparency and ensure that the analysis of the transition and the monarchy has the necessary data for an informed public assessment.
Following the publication of Juan Carlos I’s memoirs, Ibáñez claimed that the book deliberately limited the debate to defending the former head of state’s personal and business career. According to the deputy, this limits the ability of public opinion to assess issues related to the institutional functions and coherence required by the highest representative of the state. In the words of Ibáñez, quoted by the media, “the main task of the head of state is to represent coherence and stability”, attributes that, in his opinion, are not reflected in the history of the monarch emeritus.
The petition addressed to the CIS is related to the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco and the restoration of the monarchy in Spain, events that, according to the media, have reinvigorated the debate about the state model and its social legitimacy. Compromís suggests that this historical coincidence and the appearance of the memoirs increase public interest in knowing the position of the citizen vis-à-vis the monarchy.
According to the media, Ibáñez justifies his request with the need to know exactly the current state of the state model. He calls for the CIS to move from general questions to the concrete integration of the preference between monarchy and republic, viewing this as a measure to update the democratic debate on institutions. The aim of this proposal is to give greater weight to citizens’ participation in an issue which, according to its criteria, has a direct impact on political representation and the nature of the values promoted by the State.
As published by the media, the institutional response came from the President of the CIS, José Félix Tezanos, who appeared in the Senate to clarify the criteria for the inclusion of topics in the national barometers. Tezanos explained to senators that current demographic studies do not include the monarchy as a primary concern of public opinion, noting that in order to include this topic in the analysis, a statistically relevant societal demand must first be consolidated. The President of the CIS emphasized that political pressure or the appearance of editorial events do not determine the choice of topics for the official survey and that the institution gives priority to technical parameters and criteria of citizen relevance in the preparation of its studies.
The media pointed out that up to this point, the CIS had not systematically included direct questions about preference between monarchy and republic in its barometers, and these types of questions were limited to exceptional or contextual decisions. Tezanos insisted that assessing the relevance of new questions must be based on technical consensus before responding to current events in the political or media sphere.
Compromís, in turn, claims that the publication of the memoirs of the king emeritus and the anniversary of the monarchical restoration are sufficient reasons to expand the mechanisms of citizen consultation and advance the clarification of episodes that, in his opinion, are fundamental to the political formation of the Spanish state. According to the media, the Valencian party believes that transparent access to information about 23F and the inclusion of questions about the form of government in the CIS would help strengthen democracy and enrich public debate.
At this point, the media emphasizes that the discrepancy between Tezanos’ assessment and Compromís’s demand highlights the distance between the technical considerations that determine the CIS agenda and the expectations of certain political sectors regarding the need to review and update the social dialogue on the monarchy. The proposals put forward by Ibáñez represent an attempt to link historical events, parliamentary initiatives and citizen consultation mechanisms as tools for greater transparency and democratic participation.
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