Mixed reaction to King Juan Carlos abdication

There has been a mixed reaction in Spain to the abdication of King Juan Carlos euronews took to the streets of Madrid to find out what the feeling was after the historic announcement.

“We saw it coming. He was in bad shape after so many operations. I didn’t see him being our representative. The prince is better prepared,” said one woman.

“It was a surprise. I really didn’t expect it,” claimed one man.

“It was the right time for him to abdicate…he could have done it a few months ago. It’s the right time to go because of his age and his poor health,” said one man.

euronews correspondent in the Spanish capital Carlos Marlasca said that the majority of those asked considered the abdication a “positive move even if the institution has seen a fall in popularity over the past number of years. Prince Felipe and his mother Queen Sofia remain the two most popular members of the Spanish royal family.”