Spain's Government Asked King About Calling Morocco's Monarch
Listen to the story
Spain's government asked King Felipe VI about the possibility of calling Morocco's king, Mohamed VI. The topic was the crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish city on the north coast of Africa. A Spanish minister requested that the king contact Mohamed VI to thank him for his actions during the crisis.
This request has increased tension between two important centres of power in Spain. Moncloa is where the government works, and Zarzuela is where the king's office is located. According to reports, the distance between these two institutions has grown because of this situation. It has also become another point of controversy during a difficult moment for Spain.
The Ceuta crisis is a sensitive topic in relations between Spain and Morocco. Kings in Spain sometimes make calls to other leaders to discuss important events, but these calls usually follow specific protocol. The idea of asking the king to thank Mohamed VI has raised questions about the relationship between the government and the royal household.
This is not the first time there have been tensions between Moncloa and Zarzuela during a crisis. Some people believe that the government and the king do not always agree on how to handle sensitive foreign relations. The situation shows how complicated communication can be between different parts of the Spanish state, especially when a crisis involves another country. No further details have been given about whether the call was actually made.
Vocabulary7 words
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- crisis
- a very bad or difficult situation
- distance
- a lack of closeness or agreement between people or groups
- controversy
- a big public argument about something
- protocol
- the official rules for how something should be done
- tensions
- feelings of stress or disagreement between people or groups
- royal household
- the king's office and the people who work for him
Quiz
Answer key
1. Call Mohamed VI to thank him 2. There is growing distance between them 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Spain's _____ asked King Felipe VI about the possibility of calling Morocco's king, Mohamed VI.
The topic was the _____ in Ceuta, a Spanish city on the north coast of Africa.
A Spanish minister requested that the king contact Mohamed VI to thank him for his actions during the crisis.
This request has increased tension between two important centres of power in Spain.
Moncloa is where the government works, and Zarzuela is where the king's office is located.
According to reports, the _____ between these two institutions has grown because of this situation.
It has also become another point of _____ during a difficult moment for Spain.
Kings in Spain sometimes make calls to other leaders, but these calls usually follow specific _____.
This is not the first time there have been _____ between Moncloa and Zarzuela during a crisis.
The situation shows how complicated communication can be between different parts of the Spanish state.
Discussion questions
- Why might a government want a king to make a diplomatic phone call?
- Do you think royal families should be involved in political decisions? Why or why not?
- What kinds of situations might cause tension between a government and a royal household?
- How important do you think symbolic gestures like a thank-you call are in international relations?