Dutch republicans want new king to take a pay cut

Dutch republicans have a message for the Netherlands' Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, who will become king when his mother Queen Beatrix abdicates at the end of April: you're not worth it.

Hans Maessen of the New Republican Fellowship — which seeks to abolish the monarchy — said Monday his organization is launching a petition to have the new king's annual salary of 825,000 euros ($1.1 million) lowered.

"If you look at the demands of the job, it's totally out of proportion," Maessen said. The Dutch monarch earns more than twice the salary of the president of the United States, four times that of the president of Germany, and five times that of the king of Spain or the Dutch prime minister.

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Spaniards stage anti-monarchy protest in Madrid

Thousands of Spaniards have staged a large protest rally in Madrid, calling for the abdication of the country’s scandal-stricken monarchy.

Spanish protesters on Sunday took to the streets in the capital, Madrid, chanting slogans such as “Tomorrow, Spain Will Be Republican,” and waving thousands of red, gold and purple Republican flags. The demonstration was organized to commemorate the country’s Second Republic, which was established on April 14, 1931, and was followed by 40 years of dictatorship under General Francisco Franco after a 1936-39 civil war.

“Considering the current situation in Spain, what we need is a republic, and to put an end to the plundering by the Bourbons,” said a young protester, Anabel Galiano, referring to Spain’s royal house. Veronica Ruiz, another protester, also said, “Nobody elected the king,” adding, “We want a referendum. It would be the fair and democratic way to find out what the people want.”

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