Following the crowning of Don Juan Carlos Oriol assisted the new king in his personal maneuvers, aimed at consolidating power in hands of more liberal politicians. Though in December 1975 he declared the Francoist system well-organized, in April 1976 he admitted that “Francoism could not operate without Franco”; however, he imagined the change as evolution and not a rupture. He voiced against the perspective of a multi-party regime and envisioned the reform as building the system of associations, operating within Movimiento. He was very active in development of UNE structures, in April 1976 emerging as president of its Consejo Asesor. Some viewed Oriol as representative of hardline post-Francoist “búnker”; in reply he confirmed his commitment to evolution and hostility to fundamental changes. He called the Arias government not to deal with individuals seeking system breakup and demonstrated his allegiance to the memory of Franco. In May 1976 Oriol jointly with hardline Traditionalists and possibly in collusion with security services co-engineered an operation aimed at blocking the Hugocarlista rally at Montejurra; it left 2 progressist militants dead.