Juan Carlos I
Dictator Francisco Franco groomed Juan Carlos to succeed him as leader of Spain, designating him heir to the throne in 1969. Juan Carlos became king of Spain in 1975 after Franco’s death, and he began instituting gradual democratic reforms, including a popularly approved constitution. The 1978 constitution empowers the monarch to command the armed forces, select the prime minister, convene and dissolve parliament, and approve laws.
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Juan Carlos I (1938- ), king of Spain (1975- ), who returned the country to democracy after the long dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. The grandson of King Alfonso XIII, he was born in Rome and educated in Switzerland and Madrid. In 1962 he married Princess Sofia of Greece, daughter of King Paul I. Carefully groomed for his succession by Franco, Juan Carlos was proclaimed heir to the throne in 1969 and became king after Franco's death in 1975. As king, Juan Carlos is commander in chief of the armed forces, and he submits a candidate for prime minister who is then approved by parliament. Favoring gradual democratic reform, he instituted a parliamentary government based on a new constitution that was popularly approved in 1978. In 1981 Juan Carlos thwarted a right-wing attempt to overthrow the government. He has successfully maintained his commitment to keeping Spain a democracy. His son, Prince Felipe, officially became heir to the throne on his 18th birthday.
See: , Franco,Francisco, Spain