Does Spain need a democracy? This is the question Spaniards are asking themselves. Those who pose this question highlight whether a monarchy is still of any relevance in the 21st century, particularly a monarchy embroiled in financial scandals. This article is by Richard Schweid in Politico:

These days Juan Carlos is the main character in a long-running scandal that has all the ingredients of a made-for-television drama, a full-bore telenovela. The 83-year-old Juan Carlos is no longer king and has fled Spain in disgrace, gone to live a life of exiled luxury in Abu Dhabi, leaving his family behind. Meanwhile, his former lover has publicly accused him of hiding many millions of euros in ill-gotten gains for which he did not pay any taxes.

The gravity of his fiscal crimes is sowing doubt in the minds of many Spaniards as to whether a good reason exists to continue maintaining a monarchy in the 21^st century.

Juan Carlos’s serious troubles began in 2012 when he went on a hunting trip to Botswana. A photo of the king proudly standing with his rifle in front of a dead trophy elephant was widely published, and harshly criticized at home; at the time he was the honorary president of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Federation.

Read the full story here. Also, visit the main Democracy Chronicles section on American Democracy or our articles on Money Politics and Worldwide Corruption.