What role does the Spanish monarchy play in government?

Question

Isn't Spain a republic. How does a democracy fit into a monarchy?

Answer 1

The Constitution establishes as the form of government of the Spanish State that of a parliamentary monarchy, in which the King is the arbiter and overseer of the proper working of the institutions. By giving the royal assent to this Constitution, King Juan Carlos expressly proclaimed his firm intention to abide by it and serve it. In fact, it was the actions of the Monarch that saved the Constitution and democracy during the night of February 23rd. 1981, when the constitutional powers had been retained in the Parliament building in an attempted coup.

In the course of 25 years the King has toured Europe, Latin America, the United States and Canada, the Arab countries, Israel, China, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and many countries in black Africa. He has also addressed many international organizations: the United Nations, the institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Organization of American States, UNESCO, the International Labour Organization and the Arab League.

The King has encouraged a new style in conducting relations with Latin America, emphasizing the identifying features of a cultural community based on a common language, and pointing out the need to generate common initiatives and take part in suitable kinds of cooperative activity. The countries of that area have shown great generosity in agreeing on the need to create a permanent framework capable of expressing this new situation, setting objectives and organizing programmes and specific lines of action. This is the rationale behind the Latin American Conferences, the first of which was held in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1991.

As a convinced European, and a winner of the Charlemagne Award in 1982, Juan Carlos delivers insistent reminders of Spain s European calling throughout its history. The importance of the European union in the contemporary world and in particular in the areas which are most akin to it, including Latin America, has been stressed by the King in many messages.

Answer 2

Actually, the Spanish Monarchy ACTUALLY SAVED DEMOCRACY ONCE in the late 20th Century!

By standing up to a military uprising, they saved democracy for the spanish people, therefore the Spanish people allow them a little more leeway than most Royals. Its not that they "have lots of power," they don't. But, they have lots of respect and that gives them more authority.

Spain's main problem is with successionists. The Crown Prince is a great peace maker who speaks Basque and all the languages of the region inside Spain, however the King keeps him close and doesn't allow him enough room to be appreciated by those who need to see him and see that he could understand their situations!