Asturias, 30 August 2026. The sociologist and professor emeritus Emilio Lamo de Espinosa has Cursos de La Granda said that the fiercest attacks on the Spanish monarchy came from those who regarded it as democracy’s Achilles heel. In a session entitled “ democracy ”. He argued that the parliamentary monarchy should be understood and protected as part of the constitutional balance.La Corona ante los retos de una democracia polarizada”, he argued that the parliamentary monarchy should be understood and protected as part of the constitutional balance.
Lamo de Espinosa explained his position by noting that institutions come under targeted pressure in polarised times. Those who attack the monarchy are often aiming less at the head of state than at the democratic system as a whole, he said in effect. Defending democracy in Spain must therefore also include defending the monarchical institution. He also stressed that criticism of the Crown is legitimate in an open society, but should aim at reform and transparency, not delegitimisation.
The Cursos de La Granda are a long-established summer series of debates on politics, society and the economy in Asturias. This year’s session on the role of the Crown explicitly considered the risks posed by increasing polarisation. According to Europa Press Lamo de Espinosa stressed that, under Spain’s constitutional system, the monarchy primarily performs moderating and representative functions. He warned that their erosion could exacerbate political conflicts rather than resolve them.
The sociologist placed the current controversies in a longer-term trend: in many democracies, the viability of key institutions is being debated, often against a backdrop of deep social divisions. In Spain, he said, discussion of the monarchy cannot be separated from the constitution as a whole. Supporters and critics alike have a shared interest in stable rules, reliable accountability and clear limits on partisan exploitation.
Lamo de Espinosa clearly presented his remarks about the motives of opponents of the monarchy as an analytical interpretation. He urged parties committed to the constitution and civil society actors to actively defend the institutional framework and address shortcomings with verifiable corrective measures. Only in this way, he argued, can trust in democracy be strengthened without stifling necessary debate about modernisation. The remarks fitted into the event’s broader theme, which explored the role of the Crown in a highly polarised democracy.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).