スペインのレオノール皇太子、１８歳に　立太子の宣誓

【マドリードＡＦＰ＝時事】スペインのレオノール皇太子は１８歳の誕生日を迎える３１日、議会で憲法を前に宣誓を行う。これにより、祖父フアン・カルロス１世の時代にスキャンダラスにまみれたスペイン王室は新たな節目を迎える。（写真はスペイン・オビエドで開かれたアストゥリアス皇太子賞の授賞式でスピーチを行うレオノール皇太子）
　宣誓によりレオノール皇太子は、国王である父フェリペ６世の法的後継者となり、国王不在の場合は自動的に国家元首となる。
　今月、自身の称号を冠したアストゥリアス皇太子賞の授賞式に出席した際には、「私の義務と責任を十分理解し、自覚している」と語っていた。
　■スキャンダルに悩まされた祖父
　祖父のフアン・カルロス１世は、１９６９年に独裁者フランシスコ・フランコ総統に後継者に指名されて宣誓を行った。
　フアン・カルロス１世はフランコの死後、１９７５年に即位。独裁体制にあったスペインの民主化推進に貢献し、国民から尊敬を集めた。
　しかし、最近では愛人問題やマネーロンダリング（資金洗浄）への関与などが報じられ、その名声は地に落ちた。スキャンダルと健康問題に悩まされながら２０１４年に退位、２０年にアラブ首長国連邦の首都アブダビに亡命した。
　■皇太子は左派の間でも人気
　１９８６年に立太子となったフェリペ６世は即位後、フアン・カルロス１世の財産相続を放棄し、王室メンバーの「行動規範」を導入するなど、スキャンダルまみれの父親から距離を置いている。
　皇太子は祖父とは異なり、君主制に反対する左派の間でも人気を集めている。
　ただ、誰もが熱烈に応援しているわけではない。
　マドリードでは２８日、共和制支持者が集まり、皇太子の宣誓式は「歴史的に堕落し、市民からの乖離（かいり）が激しい」制度を「認める行為」だと糾弾した。
　また、北東部カタルーニャ自治州と北部バスク自治州の政党や極左政党の議員らは式典への不参加を表明した。
　レオノール皇太子は、スペイン語の他にフランス語、英語、カタルーニャ語を話し、ガリシア語とバスク語も学んでいる。
　５月末に英ウェールズにある全寮制のＵＷＣアトランティック・カレッジの高校課程を終了し、国際バカロレア資格（国際的に認められる大学入学資格）を取得。
　８月からは、スペイン北東部サラゴサにある陸軍士官学校で３年に及ぶ軍事教練を受けている。父に倣い、陸軍をはじめ、海軍、空軍の士官学校でそれぞれ１年学んだ後、大学課程を修了する。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/11/01-15:33）

Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish crown, will swear loyalty to the constitution Tuesday on her 18th birthday, a milestone that will help turn the page on the scandal-tainted reign of her grandfather, Juan Carlos.
Madrid city hall will set up giant screens in the central Puerta del Sol square for the public to watch the ceremony, held during a special session of parliament, and will decorate the streets with images of the queen-in-waiting.
After taking the oath, Princess Leonor can legally succeed her father, King Felipe VI, and automatically becomes head of state in the event of the monarch's absence.
I very well understand and am aware of what my duty is and what my responsibilities entail, she said earlier this month during a ceremony awarding the prestigious Princess of Asturias awards, named after her official title as heiress to the throne.
Her grandfather Juan Carlos took the oath in 1969 when dictator General Francisco Franco named him as his successor, and her father Felipe followed in 1986.
Juan Carlos came to the throne in 1975 after Franco's death and was widely respected for his role in helping guide Spain from dictatorship to democracy.
But a steady flow of embarrassing media stories about his love life and personal wealth eroded his standing in his twilight years.
He abdicated in 2014, dogged by scandals and health problems, and in 2020 went into self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi amid investigations into his financial affairs.
The probes have since been shelved as the activities fell outside of the statute of limitations, and because he would have had constitutional immunity as a monarch at the time.
- 'Leonormania' -
Jose Antonio Zarzalejos, former editor of the royalist daily newspaper ABC and author of a book about King Felipe, said Juan Carlos was an exceptional king, a foundational king.
He ended up badly due to two drives: sex and money, Zarzalejos told AFP.
His son restored the reputation of the monarchy and his granddaughter will give it continuity.
Felipe has worked hard to distance himself from his scandal-ridden father by renouncing his inheritance and has introduced a code of conduct for members of the royal family.
Juan Carlos will not attend Tuesday's ceremony in parliament.
But according to the Spanish press, he is expected to attend a private party at the El Pardo palace near Madrid after the event, the first formal royal family gathering he will attend since going into exile.
Unlike her grandfather, Leonor has managed to win popular affection even among leftist figures not predisposed to the monarchy.
The latest edition of celebrity magazine Lecturas dedicated its front page to the rise of Leonormania as the princess gathers fans.
But not everyone is as enthusiastic.
A manifesto read Saturday in Madrid at a gathering of republicans -- who want to abolish the monarchy -- rejected Leonor's oath ceremony as an act of affirmation of an institution that is historically corrupt and increasingly distant from citizens.
Catalan and Basque separatist parties, as well as the far-left, will boycott the ceremony.
- 'No baggage' -
Leonor speaks French, English and Catalan in addition to Spanish, and is learning a bit of Galician and Basque -- two regional languages spoken in Spain.
After finishing her International Baccalaureate at Atlantic College in Wales, the future commander-in-chief of Spain's armed forces in August began three years of military training at a military academy in the northeastern city of Zaragoza.
Like her father Felipe, she is expected to spend a year in each section of the armed forces, beginning with the army, before completing her university studies.
She has been given a greater profile in the lead up to her 18th birthday.
Wearing army dress uniform, Leonor officiated at Spain's national day ceremony earlier this month for the first time, alongside her parents.
The princess offers a counter image to that of her grandfather, said Zarzalejos.
She has no baggage, no history, her story is a normal one, of family and studies, he added.