The entire Christmas message of King Felipe VI

The people who lost their lives and those missing deserve all our respect and we must never forget the pain and sadness they have left in their families. Thousands of people saw how what until recently was their town, their neighborhood, their work, their home, their business, their school, were reduced to rubble or even disappeared. A difficult fact to accept, but from which we should all be able to draw the necessary lessons that strengthen us as a society and make us grow.

We must never forget those first images of the flood that devastated everything, the rescues of people, some sick, elderly or exhausted, who were trying to get out of their cars or taking refuge on roofs and rooftops. We also saw those who opened their homes to welcome the most vulnerable, opposing the implacable force of water and mud with the overwhelming force of solidarity and humanity. Neighbors, volunteers, civil protection teams, firefighters, security forces, Armed Forces, NGOs, and also companies that organized collections and donations, even mobilizing their personnel and machinery… the help and collaboration of all is leading to, little by little, , the more than 800,000 affected people gradually recover a certain degree of normality in their lives. And that the medium and long term be equally addressed to truly ensure recovery.

We have recognized that solidarity in its purest and most concrete sense day after day in the enormous work of anonymous volunteers and public servants; and we have also seen – and understood – the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination of the administrations. Because all these emotions—those that move and comfort and those that hurt and distress—arise from the same root: the awareness of the common good, the expression of the common good, or the demand for the common good.

Above the possible divergences and disagreements, a clear idea prevails in Spanish society of what is appropriate, of what benefits everyone and that, therefore, we have the interest and responsibility to protect and reinforce it. It is something that the Queen and I have been able to confirm and value even more throughout this decade of reign.

It is the responsibility of all institutions, of all Public Administrations, that this notion of the common good continues to be clearly reflected in any speech or any political decision. Consensus around what is essential, not only as a result, but also as a constant practice, must always guide the public sphere. Not to avoid diversity of opinions, legitimate and necessary in democracy, but to prevent this diversity from leading to the denial of the existence of a shared space.

It is in this agreement on what is essential from which we must address the issues that concern us and that affect us in ways different from our collective life. The growing international instability, the climate in which our public debate often takes place, the difficulties in accessing housing or the management of immigration are issues, among others, that deserve our attention and that I also want to address tonight.

Immigration is a complex phenomenon of great social sensitivity that responds to diverse causes. Without population movements throughout history, the societies of the present could not be explained; which are open and interconnected societies. Being, therefore, a daily reality, migrations can lead – without adequate management – ​​to tensions that erode social cohesion.

The integration effort, which corresponds to everyone, respect – also by everyone – for the laws and basic norms of coexistence and civility, and the recognition of the dignity that every human being deserves, are the pillars that must guide us when it comes to deal with immigration. Without ever forgetting the firmness required to fight against the networks and mafias that traffic people. The way in which we are able to address immigration – which also requires good coordination with our European partners, as well as with the countries of origin and transit – will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.

Another issue that worries, especially the youngest, is the difficulty in accessing housing. Cities, especially large cities, act as poles of growth and generate a demand that supply cannot satisfy. It is important, once again, that all the actors involved reflect, listen to each other, that the different options be examined and that this dialogue leads to solutions that facilitate access to housing in acceptable conditions, especially for the the youngest and the most unprotected, since this is the basis for the security and well-being of so many life projects. And we really can do it.

Our lives are also affected by an increasingly complex and changing – and even convulsive – external scenario. We see how international law is too often questioned, violence is resorted to, the universality of human rights is denied or multilateralism is called into question to confront the global challenges of our time, such as climate and environmental crises, pandemics, the energy transition or trade and the scarcity of natural resources. We also see how the very validity of democracy as a system of government comes to be discussed.

In this context, Spain and the other member states of the European Union, we must continue to defend with conviction and firmness, together with our international partners, the bases of liberal democracy, the defense of human rights and the achievements in social welfare. on which our great political project is based. Because Europe – the idea of ​​Europe – is an essential part of our shared identity, of the legacy we owe to future generations. In a world in need of strong and cohesive actors, but above all of behaviors inspired by principles and values, and there Europe continues to be our most valuable reference.

And if we look inward, our great reference in Spain is the 1978 Constitution, its letter and its spirit. Agreement on essentials was the fundamental principle that inspired it. Working for the common good is precisely preserving the great pact of coexistence where our democracy is affirmed and our rights and freedoms, pillars of our Social and Democratic State of Law, are consecrated. Despite the time that has passed, the harmony of which it was the fruit continues to be our great foundation. Cultivating this spirit of consensus is necessary to strengthen our institutions and to maintain the trust of the entire society in them.

A coexistence pact is protected by dialogue; that dialogue, with height and generosity, that must always nourish the definition of the common will and action of the State. That is why it is necessary that the political conflict, legitimate, but sometimes thunderous, does not prevent us from hearing an even more clamorous demand: a demand for serenity. Serenity in the public sphere and in daily life, to face collective or individual and family projects, to prosper, to care for and protect those who need it most. The recent reform of article 49 of the Constitution, referring to people with disabilities, is a good example of what we can achieve together. And we cannot allow discord to become a constant background noise that prevents us from hearing the authentic pulse of the citizens.

You have heard me say it many times and I would like to repeat it again: Spain is a great country. A Nation with a marvelous history, despite its dark chapters, and a model in the democratic development of recent decades, even defeating the terrorist harassment that caused so many victims. A country with a present that, despite how much we still have to do, for example, in terms of poverty and social exclusion, is promising when observing the behavior of our economy – in terms, among others, of growth, employment or exports. – and the general level of our social well-being. And facing the future, I sincerely believe that we Spaniards have enormous potential that should give us hope, both nationally and on the international stage.

That future lies mainly in our youth, the same one that has made our name shine in the Olympic and Paralympic Games and in the last Euro Cup, the one that undertakes despite the difficulties and the one that is at the forefront of our science; the youth that respects our elders and their valuable experience, the one that most earnestly demands progress in terms of equality, the one that is prepared in our schools, institutes, universities, Vocational Training centers, to energetically access the job market despite to youth unemployment figures; youth, in short, who seek opportunities and overcome obstacles based on merit and effort. But above all, the one that has filled us with pride by coming en masse to give their best in the streets of the towns affected by DANA.

With this spirit of work and commitment to what belongs to everyone, for the common good, I finish my words and return to the beginning. I return to all the municipalities and regions affected by the floods, in many of which there is still so much to do, where the need of the neighbors is so great that it dwarfs all efforts, even without losing hope.

May the solidarity that has united us in the most difficult moments continue to be present in every gesture, in every action, in every decision. May aid reach all those who need it, so that they can rebuild the future for which they have fought so hard, facing with courage and dignity the challenges of a sometimes implacable present. The sooner we achieve this, the more we will strengthen our sense of community, our feeling of country.

Because the memory of the path traveled, trust in the present and hope in the future are an unavoidable part, perhaps the most valuable, but also the most delicate, of our common good.

May the spirit of these days of meeting and coexistence remain in the new year and may you have—I wish you, along with the Queen and our daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía—a very Merry Christmas.

Eguberri On, Bon Nadal, Boas Festas.