Spanish government to exhume Franco's remains on June 10

The Spanish government will move the remains of former dictator, Francisco Franco, from his mausoleum in the Valley of the Fallen to a state-owned tomb in the municipal cemetery of Mingorrubio, known as the Pardo, on Monday June 10.

The decision announced on Friday concludes the procedure to transfer the remains, although Franco's family has challenged the exhumation in the Supreme Court, and has demanded that the Spanish government's decision be suspended.

Yet, Pedro Sánchez's executive defends the choice of new resting place, arguing that "it meets ideal conditions" and "does not pose problems of public disorder and citizen safety." Franco's wife, Carmen Polo, is already buried in the tomb in the Pardo cemetery.

Spanish government sources say they hope the Supreme Court will not suspend the exhumation, and they also point out that the power to make the decision lies with the government and not with the courts, although they will respect the future ruling.

The far-right Vox party reacted to the news of the decision on Friday with leader Santiago Abascal saying on Twitter that the Spanish government  "would not dare profane" the tomb and that "Franco will only leave the Valley of the Fallen on the orders of the Supreme Court."