Perez reclaims Real Madrid presidency in historic first election in 20 years
Madrid, June 8
Florentino Perez has successfully retained his position as the Real Madrid president until 2030, emerging victorious in the club's first contested election in two decades.
According to the official data released by the club's Electoral Board in the early hours of Monday, the 79-year-old secured a convincing victory by capturing 65 percent of the total votes counted.
Perez's candidacy received 21,741 votes from the club's member-owners (socios). His challenger, 37-year-old renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme, put up a resilient fight to secure 11,814 votes, representing 35 per cent of the electorate.
"The Electoral Board of Real Madrid announces that, with 100% of the in-person and mail-in votes counted, the candidacy led by Mr. Florentino Perez has won the elections for president and the Board of Directors of Real Madrid. This candidacy received 21,741 votes, representing 65 per cent. The candidacy led by Mr. Enrique Riquelme received 11,814 votes, representing 35 percent," Real Madrid said in a statement.
A total of 33,555 members exercised their franchise through in-person and mail-in ballots at the Real Madrid City Basketball Pavilion on Sunday.
"We have won the elections and will continue working to keep winning titles. We have won at all the polling stations and achieved the second-best result in the history of Real Madrid elections. We also achieved the first in 2004. It is an extraordinary result. And I must tell you that it could have been better because nearly a thousand mail-in votes were annulled, votes certified by a notary, due to procedural issues that we will appeal, as we believe we are in the right," he said in his address following his re-election.
Perez's victory means that Jose Mourinho should be formally announced as manager on Monday, with Madrid paying Benfica a 15m euro release fee for the Portuguese coach.
During his election campaign, Perez had pledged to bring back Mourinho, whose three years at Real Madrid saw the club win one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup during a period where the club was slightly overshadowed by Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona.
The period was also marked by increasingly difficult relations between the two clubs and their respective players, widely considered a factor in Spain's early exit from the 2014 World Cup.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honest question from a neutral fan: Why are Madridistas so obsessed with Perez? 79 years old, running unopposed basically... it feels like a dynastic rule, not a football club. Riquelme got 35% which isn't negligible—maybe some fresh ideas wouldn't hurt. But I guess winning erases all doubts.
As an Indian Madrid fan since the Zidane days, I'm conflicted. On one hand, Perez's business acumen is unmatched—he turned Real into a global brand. On the other, the Super League fiasco and the constant turnover of managers (remember Lopetegui?) is exhausting. Mourinho returning feels like a director trying to recapture a hit film from 2013. Expectations are high, but the game has changed. Let's hope Mou adapts!
"Nearly a thousand mail-in votes were annulled"—this is concerning! Democracy shouldn't be about technicalities. If a notary certified them, why cancel? Doesn't matter who wins, but process transparency is key. That said, 65% is a strong statement. The socios clearly trust Perez to keep the trophy cabinet full. Just hope this Mourinho chapter doesn't end in tears like last time. #HalaMadrid
Wait, so Mourinho is confirmed? Didn't we just get Ancelotti? Real Madrid's managerial carousel is more predictable than Indian traffic jams—every 2 years, a new face. I'm excited to see Mou back, but the style of play better be entertaining. The 2011-12 statistical record (100 points, 121 goals) will be impossible to repeat. Let's see if he can at least challenge Barcelona in La Liga. Also, that 15m euro release fee for Benfica feels steep for a manager past his peak.
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