Five years ago I had the honor, for the first time as King, to address you on Christmas and to convey a message of affection and good wishes for the new year. A message also of commitment to my vocation which is to serve Spain with loyalty, responsibility and total dedication.
Therefore, I thank you for allowing me again to share with you a few minutes on this special night. And the first thing I want to do, of course, is to wish you – together with the Queen, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia – the greatest happiness and peace in these days when we meet with our families and loved ones.
And at this time we want to have a very special memory with all our love for the families and people most affected and who have suffered the most – even tragically – the consequences of the floods that have occurred in Spain during recent weeks and throughout the year.
It is said – and it is true – that the world does not live in easy time. These are times of great uncertainty, of profound changes in many areas that cause concern and concern in society, both inside and outside our country: The new technological and digital era, the direction of the Union European, migratory movements, labour inequality between men and women or the way to face climate change and sustainability, among others …, are all issues that are very present and already unequivocally condition our lives.
And along with all of this, the lack of employment – especially for our young people – and the economic difficulties of many families, especially those that suffer from greater vulnerability, remain the main concern in our country. It is a fact that in the world – and also here -, in parallel to growth and development, the economic crisis has sharpened the levels of inequality.
Likewise, the consequences for our own social cohesion of the technological revolution to which I have referred before, the deterioration of the confidence of many citizens in the institutions, and of course Catalonia, are other serious concerns that we have in Spain.
Now, after the elections held on November 10, we are immersed in the constitutional procedure planned for the Congress of Deputies to grant or deny their support to the proposed candidate for the Presidency of the Government. Thus, it is up to Congress, in accordance with our Constitution, to make the decision that it deems most convenient for the general interest of all Spaniards.
I told you at the beginning that we do not live easy times; but I also believe that, precisely because of that, we must have more than ever a firm confidence in ourselves and in Spain, which has always known how to break through when we have faced the future with responsibility, with generosity and rigor; with determination, but also with reflection and serenity. And we have plenty of reasons to have that confidence.
The progress of a country depends, to a large extent, on the character of its citizens, on the strength of its society and on the proper functioning of its State.
On June 19, I had the great honour of awarding 41 citizens from all over Spain with the Civil Merit Order. Women and men, old and young, of diverse origins and conditions, who are a true example of dignity and faithful reflection of the best of our society.
I could personally appreciate his generosity and solidarity spirit, his capacity for sacrifice and overcoming, his willingness to help others and put the common good before particular interests, his courage in adverse situations; qualities that are an expression of the civic virtues that inspire the vast majority of our citizens.
It is, without a doubt — and I am especially interested in highlighting it — of attitudes that have been forging the personality of the Spaniards step by step and shaping our current society throughout these four decades of democracy.
A society that has undergone a very profound transformation, as never before in our history; that lives according to values and attitudes shared with the other free and democratic societies; which is and feels deeply European and Latin American; and that it is not isolated, but very open to the world and fully integrated into the global society.
A society that has faced – and has overcome – very difficult situations with admirable serenity and integrity, demonstrating great resistance and maturity.
A society, in short, enterprising and generous, that develops great creativity and undisputed leadership in many fields such as engineering, medicine, science, culture, sports or business.
We live in a Social and Democratic State of Law that ensures our coexistence in freedom and that has made Spain a modern country, with essential social benefits and public services such as education and health; which is equipped with a large network of state-of-the-art communications and transport infrastructure, and guarantees the safety of citizens as few.
A Nation, in addition, with a privileged position for international relations thanks to its clear universal vocation, its history and its culture. Those who visit us, invest here or decide to live among us, are witnesses of all this, recognize it and highlight it.
So much, then, what we have built together, what we have advanced together. And we can be very proud of the values that inspire our citizens, the energy, vitality and dynamism of our society and the strength of our State. And I think it is important to say it, not because of misunderstanding self-esteem but because it is a proven reality that we must put in value.
Faced with this reality, we must not fall into extremes, nor in a complacency that silences our lacks or errors, nor in a destructive self-criticism that denies the great civic, social and political heritage we have accumulated.
Undoubtedly, much remains to be done, to improve and renew. For this, it is necessary to have a clear and objective awareness of our strengths and weaknesses; and also, have a most realistic and complete vision of how and where the world is going.
Everything we have achieved – as I have said before – has not been generated spontaneously. It is the result, ultimately, that millions of Spaniards, thanks to our Constitution, have shared over the years the same values on which to base our coexistence, our great common projects, our feelings and ideas.
And among those values, I want to highlight in the first place, the desire for harmony that, thanks to responsibility, affection, generosity, dialogue and respect between people of very different ideologies, broke down walls of intolerance, resentment and of misunderstanding that had marked many episodes of our history.
Secondly, the will to understand and integrate our differences into respect for our Constitution, which recognizes the territorial diversity that defines us and preserves the unity that gives us strength.
And thirdly, the defense and solidarity, equality and freedom, the principles of our society, making tolerance and respect manifestations of the best civic spirit of our life in common.
These values have been present among us for many years and constitute a hallmark of Spain today; but we cannot take them for granted nor forget their fragility; and therefore we must do everything possible to strengthen them and prevent them from deteriorating.
Time does not stop and Spain can not stand still. It has to continue traveling its path, without enclosing itself as in other times of the past and looking up to keep track of the great social, scientific and educational changes that point to the future.
The challenges that lie ahead are not simple but, as on so many occasions in our recent history, I am convinced that we will overcome them. Let us trust in ourselves, in our society; let us trust Spain and stay united in the democratic values we share to solve our problems; without divisions or clashes that only erode our coexistence and impoverish our future.
We have great potential as a country. Let’s think big. Let’s move forward with ambition. All together. We know how to do it and we know the way….
With that spirit and with that spirit, the Queen, our daughters and I wish you all – and especially those who are far away, working and watching over our country, or providing essential services here at this time – very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year 2020.
Merry Christmas to you all
