Catalan, Basque and Galician parties sign decree saying Spanish king 'has no democratic legitimacy'

Catalan, Basque and Galician nationalist parties have signed a joint declaration stating that the Spanish king "does not have democratic legitimacy." 

The groups published the joint statement on Wednesday morning ahead of the king's opening ceremony of the upper and lower houses, the Senate and the Spanish Congress. 

Catalan pro-independence parties Esquerra Republicana and Junts, as well as Basque party Bildu and Galician BNG won't partake in the ceremony after publishing the letter.

The joint statement calls for "democracy, freedom and republic," adding that the political groups do not recognize the legitimacy of the king.

It adds that Felipe VI has "no political function" and "even less so when his role with respect to our nations has been none other than trying to impose anti-democratic projects and values."

ERC, Bildu and BNG believe that the monarchy is "incompatible with essential democratic principles due to the fact that it is hereditary and lifelong" which, in the Spanish case, has an "anti-democratic" character accentuated by the fact that it was "imposed by the dictator [Francisco] Franco."

"The Spanish monarchy is a state that does not respond to the republican values of freedom, equality and democracy," the letter continues, stating that "a true democracy will only be possible by breaking with the inheritance."

"Catalan, Basque and Galician societies mostly reject the figure of a monarchical institution which is also linked to the objective of maintaining and imposing the unity of Spain and its laws, thus denying civil, political and nationals that assist our citizens and our towns," the letter reads.