Editing Monarchy of Spain (section)

===Re-establishment of the Monarchy===
{{Main|Reign of Juan Carlos I of Spain}}
Despite Franco's alliance with the Carlists, Franco appointed [[Juan Carlos I|Juan Carlos de Borbón]] as his successor, who is credited with presiding over [[Spanish transition to democracy|Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy]] by fully endorsing political reforms.

Impatient with the pace of democratic reforms, the new king, known for his formidable personality, dismissed [[Carlos Arias Navarro]] and appointed the reformer [[Adolfo Suárez]] as President of the Government in 1977.<ref name="From Dictatorship to Democracy">John Hooper, ''The New Spaniards'', 2001, ''From Dictatorship to Democracy''</ref><ref name="Spain's fast-living king turns 70">{{cite news|title=Spain's fast-living king turns 70|work=[[BBC News]]|date=2008-01-04|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7171971.stm|access-date=2009-06-18|archive-date=6 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106025042/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7171971.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

The next year the king signed into law the new liberal democratic [[Constitution of Spain]], which was approved by 88% of voters. Juan Carlos' "quick wit and steady nerve" cut short the [[23-F|attempted military coup in 1981]] when the king used a specially designed command communications center in the Zarzuela Palace to denounce the coup and command the military's eleven captains general to stand down.<ref name="An Engaging Monarchy"/>

Following the events of 1981, Juan Carlos led a less eventful life, according to author John Hooper.<ref name="An Engaging Monarchy"/> Juan Carlos did not preside over ceremonies such as the opening of hospitals and bridges as often as monarchs in other nations. Instead, he worked towards establishing reliable political customs when transitioning one government administration to another, emphasizing constitutional law and protocol, and representing the Spanish State domestically and internationally, all the while aiming to maintain a professionally non-partisan yet independent monarchy.<ref name="Spanish King rebrands for recession"/><ref name="An Engaging Monarchy">John Hooper, ''The New Spaniards'', 2001, ''An Engaging Monarchy''</ref>