King Felipe this evening made his latest call for coexistence and understanding among Spaniards.

His Majesty delivered his annual Christmas Eve address, in which he called the economy and the Catalan crisis top concerns.

“We don’t live in easy times,” said His Majesty, calling for “firm confidence in ourselves and in Spain.”

Don Felipe also said growing economic inequality and those left behind by economic growth and technology were a “principal concern.”

But like many previous remarks, the speech was focused on pushing an image of Spain as “very open to the world” and of “tolerance and respect.”

King Felipe also alluded to the ongoing efforts by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to form a new government.

King Felipe today launched talks with Spanish political leaders ahead of proposing a candidate for prime minister.

The King today met with the heads of the Congress of the Deputies and the Senate. Meetings with party leaders are next week.

After the meetings, the King will likely tap the Socialist Party leader to form a government.

Even though Pedro Sánchez’s group got the most votes in the recent elections, he needs to form coalitions to govern.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia reserved a particularly warm welcome this week to U.S. Democrats participating in the Madrid international climate conference.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several of her colleagues were in the Spanish capital to challenge President Trump’s opposition to the Paris climate accord.

King Felipe used one of his few delegation meetings to gather with the Democrats at Zarzuela Palace.

On Monday the King held a reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid for the delegations. Pelosi was also there.

Spain is a fierce defender of climate action and Democrats have since boasted about how well they were received at the conference.