 | ■ International
Passing the torch
傳王位給兒子
Spanish king decides to abdicate throne, make way for a 'new generation'
西班牙國王退位，以便讓「新世代」 接班 |
| King Juan Carlos, who led Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy but faced royal scandals amid the nation's near financial meltdown, announced recently that he will abdicate in favor of his son, making way for a "new generation." | 西班牙國王璜卡洛斯雖然帶領該國從獨裁統治轉型至民主，但該國在金融體系幾乎瓦解之際，王室卻也爆發了數件醜聞。他最近宣布將退位讓兒子繼承王位，以便讓「新世代」接班。 |
| The king told Spaniards in a nationwide address that he first started thinking seriously about giving up the throne when he turned 76 in January. He said that 46-year-old Crown Prince Felipe is ready for the post and will "open a new era of hope combining his acquired experience and the drive of a new generation." | 這位國王在對西班牙全國發表的演說中向人民指出，他是一月年滿七十六歲時，首次開始認真考慮要遜位。他表示，四十六歲的王儲菲利浦已做好了繼位的準備，並「希望結合他既有的經驗與新世代的積極進取，來開創一個新的時代。」 |
| The abdication was first announced by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who did not say when the handover would happen because the government must now craft a law creating a legal mechanism for the abdication and for Felipe's assumption of power. | 璜卡洛斯遜位的消息最先由總理拉霍伊宣布，但他並未表示何時會傳位，因為西班牙政府現在必須制定合法的遜位機制，以及讓菲利浦繼位的法律。 |
| Juan Carlos has been on the throne for 39 years and was a hero to many for shepherding Spain's democratic and economic transformation, but has had repeated health problems in recent years. His longstanding popularity took a big blow following royal scandals, including an elephant-shooting trip he took in the middle of Spain's financial crisis during which he broke his right hip and had to be flown from Botswana back to Spain aboard a private jet for medical treatment. | 璜卡洛斯在位已經卅九年，而且很多人視他為帶領西班牙民主與經濟轉型的英雄，但他最近幾年健康卻一再亮起紅燈。他長期受到擁戴的情況，在王室醜聞爆發後受到了重創，其中包括西班牙爆發金融危機期間前往非洲獵象，結果因為右髖骨折 ，被迫搭乘私人專機從波札那飛回西班牙接受治療的事件。 |
| The king's image was also tarnished by the investigation of his son-in-law, who is suspected of embezzling large amounts in public contracts. In January, his daughter Princess Cristina was forced to testify in the fraud and money-laundering case targeting her husband Inaki Urdangarin, an Olympic handball medalist turned businessman. She became the first Spanish royal to be questioned in court since Juan Carlos took the throne. In his speech, the king did not mention any of the scandals and played down his health issues. | 這位國王的形象也由於他的女婿涉嫌侵佔大量公共契約受到調查而蒙羞。今年一月，他的女兒克莉絲蒂娜公主也被迫為她奧運手球獎牌得主轉而從商的丈夫伊納基烏丹加林涉及的詐欺洗錢案出庭作證。她成了璜卡洛斯登基以來，首位接受法院訊問的西班牙王室成員。這位國王在演說中並未提到任何醜聞，也對他的健康問題輕描淡寫。 |
| Felipe would presumably take the title King Felipe IV. He has a law degree from Madrid's Autonomous University and obtained a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University in the U.S. Felipe is married to Princess Letizia, a former television journalist, and they have two daughters. Like his father, Felipe has traveled the globe trying to maintain Spain's influence, especially in former Latin American colonies, while seeking to promote the nation's international business interests. King Juan Carlos came to power in 1975, two days after the death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco. | 菲利浦據推測會登基為菲利浦四世。他擁有馬德里自治大學的法學學位，並取得了美國喬治城大學國際關係碩士學位。菲利浦娶了前電視記者蕾蒂西雅公主為妻，兩人育有兩女。他和父親一樣，曾前往全球各地（尤其前拉丁美洲殖民地）以維繫西班牙的影響力，同時尋求促進該國的國際貿易利益。璜卡洛斯國王於一九七五年長期獨裁者佛朗哥將軍去世兩天後，登基為王。 |
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