A young man waves a Spanish republican flag during a march against the Spanish Monarchy in Pamplona, northern Spain, Monday, June 2, 2104. King Juan Carlos plans to abdicate and pave the way for his son, Crown Prince Felipe, to become the country's next king. The 76-year-old Juan Carlos oversaw his country's transition from dictatorship to democracy but has had repeated health problems in recent years. His popularity also dipped following royal scandals, including an elephant-shooting trip he took in the middle of Spain's financial crisis that tarnished the monarch's image. The king came to power in 1975, two days after the death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
June 03, 2014 - 3:49 AM
MADRID - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is holding an emergency cabinet meeting to draft the legal process for King Juan Carlos to abdicate and be replaced by his son, Crown Prince Felipe.
The handover cannot happen until the government crafts the mechanism for abdication and Felipe's assumption of power. The proposal is expected to pass quickly because Rajoy's centre-right Popular Party has an absolute majority in Parliament.
The 76-year-old king and Felipe, 46, appeared Tuesday at a military ceremony outside Madrid as Rajoy was meeting with his cabinet.
Juan Carlos led Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy but was hit by damaging scandals amid Spain's financial meltdown.
He announced Monday he was abdicating because his son is ready for the job and Spain needs a "new era of hope."
News from © The Associated Press, 2014