The shit in Spain falls mainly in the fan

[The Larch]

They're not even original in their slander.

[Admiral Yi]

Bill Gates' 15 minutes is up. 

[celedhring]

The motion is happening today, and it's almost hillarious how unsubtle these guys are about being a bunch of racist nationalists. I think we're somewhat lucky that Abascal is such a ridiculous idiot, far more Trump than, say, Marine, who's way smarter about trying to appear respectable.

The guy has even said (implicitly) that the current socialist government is worse than Franco's merry times 

[viper37]

The guy has even said (implicitly) that the current socialist government is worse than Franco's merry times 

Well, he didn't say they were worst than Hitler, so it's all good

[The Larch]

The motion is happening today, and it's almost hillarious how unsubtle these guys are about being a bunch of racist nationalists. I think we're somewhat lucky that Abascal is such a ridiculous idiot, far more Trump than, say, Marine, who's way smarter about trying to appear respectable.

The guy has even said (implicitly) that the current socialist government is worse than Franco's merry times 

And after the voting it turns out that they haven't received a single vote of support from outside their own group. 

[celedhring]

And after the voting it turns out that they haven't received a single vote of support from outside their own group. 

Nee surprise, there was doubt whether PP would abstain in order to not to piss off their right flank, but the speech Abascal delivered was cartoonishly evil.

[Syt]

 

[Syt]

So I hear some VIPs (including the health minister) decided restrictions on gatherings don't apply to them?

[celedhring]

The best part of that is that the event was organized by an opposition newspaper 

[celedhring]

So, the corruption investigation on former King Juan Carlos has now expanded to include his wife and other members of the royal family (not the current monarchs), for using credit cards linked to an undeclared foreign account. This would be fiscal fraud. Thing is that Queen Sofía isn't covered by the kind of total immunity that Juan Carlos has.

Regarding the investigation on the former King himself, word on the papers is that the prosecutor will eventually accept that the constitutional immunity prevents him from prosecuting Juan Carlos, but will still list all the potential charges and evidence against him before asking for the case to be dismissed. This would be quite damaging for the crown and there's some rumors that his son (King Felipe) will repudiate him to try to salvage what he can of the crown's reputation.

[Tamas]

I am oath-bound to declare the British monarchy as a great exception to this but:

the whole monarchy thing is just silly in this day and age. Legal immunity due to birth? That is incredibly incompatible with even the most generic standards of our societies. Same with the bruhaha about Prince Harry not wanting to be a bred-for PR person. Nobody would dare proposing we should raise children for one specific lifetime job, yet that's what royal families are doing.

Except the British royals of course. Long may they reign.

[celedhring]

The immunity is attached to the office. The office is then attained by birtright. I'm against both things but they are technically separate.

So King Juan Carlos could be prosecuted by shit he did after abdicating, and that window is what the prosecutor has been looking at, but since - apparently - everything is connected to felonies he commited as king, they cannot be used.

[celedhring]

So, what's the first sign of a weak monarchy? The rise of pretenders of course! 

Sixto de Borbón is featured today in a Spanish newspaper, reasserting his claim to the throne in the name of God and Tradition, as the true heir of Charles VII.

Note that his heir presumptive is the reigning Grand-Duke of Luxemburg. The Empire will be back 

[The Larch]

The King's Christmas message this year is going to be a fun one. Do you think he'll even mention his father?

[celedhring]

Indirectly, I presume. I expect some platitudes about "public powers have to be exemplary"