Madrid - Spain's governing Socialists on Wednesday came out in defence of the monarchy against Catalan separatists and far-left parties questioning its validity. The ongoing controversy over Catalan protesters burning pictures of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia was "false," Socialist representative Jose Blanco said.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's party had always believed parliamentary monarchy to be "an instrument of stability, coexistence and union among Spaniards," he explained.
Blanco called on the king's supporters to defend him and to "not give credibility" to a small minority of anti-monarchists.
The government intended to call the king to preside over a new Defence Council on October 10 in order to stress his role as the highest commander of the armed forces, the daily El Pais reported.
The new advisory organ was to be created officially on Friday. The government was believed to be reacting to a proposal by the Catalan separatist party ERC to make the prime minister the head of the army.
A discussion about the monarchy has been sparked mainly by small rallies by separatist protesters in Catalonia.
On Tuesday, prosecutors asked for 15 months in prison for two young men who burned pictures of the royal couple.
El Pais, however, warned that such judicial measures only helped to draw attention to the anti-monarchist cause.
Catalan regional Prime Minister Jose Montilla stressed that most Catalans supported the monarchy.
"You are respected and loved," he told Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia during their visit to Barcelona on Tuesday.
