King of Spain abdicates. Demonstrations planned all over Spain (+ in Dublin, Brussels, Berlin, London & Paris) by many organisations and parties at 8pm tonight to demand referendum for abolition of monarchy.

Spain‘s King Juan Carlos is abdicating after almost 40 years on the throne the country's  Prime Minister Rajoy said today in a surprise announcement.

“His majesty, King Juan Carlos, has just communicated to me his will to give up the throne,“ Mr Rajoy said. “I‘m convinced this is the best moment for change.“ Juan Carlos has lost public support in recent years due to corruption scandals and gaffes.

The 76-year-old king stepping down for personal reasons, Mr Rajoy said.

King Juan Carlos (Source: Wikipedia)

Spain does not have a precise law regulating abdication and succession. Mr Rajoy said his cabinet would meet very soon to set out the steps for Prince Felipe to take over as Felipe VI.

The country is just pulling out of a difficult and long recession that has seen faith in politicians, the royal family all and other institutions dwindle. The Catalan region is planning a referendum on becoming an independent Catalan Republic and there is great unrest in that region after the central government's statement that they will not accept such a referendum.

After the sudden abdiction announcement by the king, republicans and many other organisations today have called for massive demonstrations nationwide at 8pm to demand a national referendum to decide on the abolition of the monarchy and the introduction of a Spanish republic. Spain's authorities however maintain that they have not yet received any requests for permission to hold such demonstrations, while social networks and media are buzzing with further calls for demonstrations. Disruption and unrest may be expected at least in several regions, and all over Catalonia protesters have been rioting over the eviction from  occupied houses for several days now.

Sixty-two percent of the Spanish population were in favour of the king stepping down, according to a national poll held earlier this year, compared with 45 percent a year before. 
However, the support for the royals is even lower in  many regions such as Catalonia and here in the Canary Islands. When prince Felipe, the likely successor to J. Carlos, came to La Gomera in a show of solidarity after the devastating fire here a couple of years ago, only a few old ladies and a some children turned up to great him.

The following demonstrations had been planned (incl. in Berlin, Brussels and Paris)  by lunchtime and many more are to follow according to eldiario.es :

- Alicante. 20:00. Mercado Central.

- Almeria. 20:00. Puerta Purchena.

- Aranda de Duero (Burgos). 20:00. Plaza Mayor.

- Badajoz. 20:00 Delegación del Gobierno, Avenida de Huelva.

- Badalona. 20:00 Plaza de la Villa

- Barcelona. 20:00. Plaza Catalunya

- Berlin (Alemania). 20.00 Puerta de Brandenburgo

- Bilbao. 20:00. Plaza Arriaga.

- Bruselas (Bélgica). 20:00 la Bolsa

- Burgos. 20:00. Plaza del Cid.

- Cáceres. 20:00 Subdelegación del Gobierno.

- Cadiz. 20:00. Plaza Palilleros.

- Castellon. 20:00. Plaza Maria Agustina.

- Ciudad Real. 20:00. Plaza Mayor

- Córdoba. 20:00. Plaza de las Tendillas

- A Coruña. 20:00. Obelisco.

- Donostia/San Sebastián. 19:00. Bulevar.

- Elche (Alicante). 20:30. Plaça de Baix.

- Ferrol (A Coruña), 20:00. Praza de Armas

- Gandía (Valencia). 20:00. Plaça Major

- Gijón/Xixón (Asturias/Asturies). 20:00. Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

- Granada. 20:00. Plaza del Carmen.

- Huesca/Uesca, 20:00. Plaza de Navarra (o de Zaragoza. Es la misma)

- Jerez (Cadiz). 20:00. Plaza del Arenal.

- Leon. 20:00. Plaza Botines.

- Logroño (La Rioja). 20:00. Delegación del Gobierno (C/ Muro de Francisco de la Mata, 3).

- Madrid. 20:00. Puerta de Sol.

- Málaga. 20:00. Plaza de la Constitución.

- Oviedo/Uviéu. 20:00. Plaza de La Escandalera (frente a la Xunta Xeneral)

- Palencia. 20:00. Plaza Mayor.

- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 20:00. Parque de San Telmo.

- Pamplona 20:00. Plaza de las Merindades.

- Paris (Francia). 20:00. Pl. de la République

- Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura). 18.00. Puerto del Rosario.

- Salamanca. 20:00. Plaza Mayor.

- Santander. 20:00. Plaza Porticada.

- Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña). 20:00. Para do Toural.

- Sevilla. 20:00. Plaza Nueva.

- Soria 21:00. Plaza San Esteban

- Toledo. 20:00. Plaza Zocodover.

- Valencia. 20:00. Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

- Valladolid 20:00. Plaza Fuente Dorada

- Vigo. 20:00. Farola de Urzaiz.

- Zaragoza. 20:00. Plaza de España.

International Cities added later:

Amsterdam 
Bruselas (Bégica)
Berlín (Alemania)
Cluj-Napoca (Rumanía)
Dublín (Irlanda) (19.00 h at GPO
Edimburgo (Escocia)
Fráncfort (Alemania)
Gotemburgo (Suecia)
Helsinki (Finlandia)
Jerusalén (Israel) (21.00 h)
Leipzig (Alemania)
Lisboa (Portugal)
Londres (19.00 h) (Inglaterra)
Luxemburgo (Luxemburgo)
Marsella (Francia)
Metz (Francia) (19.30 h)
México DF (México)
Milán (Italia)
Montevideo
Montpellier (Francia) (19.00 h)
Múnich (Alemania)
Nantes (Francia)
Nueva York (Estados Unidos) (17.30 h) NEW YORK, USA
Porto (Portugal)
Padova (Italia)
París (Francia)
Praga (República Checha) (20.30 h)
Roma (Italia)
Stuttgart (Alemania)
Toulouse (Francia)
Viena (Austria) (Martes 3 de junio a las 20.00 h)