What was an open secret has finally been confirmed: Florentino Pérez will continue as president of Real Madrid until 2030. The Madrid leader won this Sunday in the elections held by the white club and renewed his mandate after obtaining around 65% of the votes, ahead of businessman Enrique Riquelme, who gathered nearly 35% of the ballots.
The electoral day marked an unusual event in the institutional life of the Merengue, as members returned to the polls for the first time in 20 years to elect the highest authority of the entity. According to the data released after the voting, nearly 30,000 members participated out of a register of over 70,000 eligible.
The victory will allow Pérez to start a new cycle at the helm of the institution he has presided over since 2000, with the exception of the period between 2006 and 2009. Furthermore, the result confirmed the majority support for his management despite the criticisms that have arisen in recent years over sports and institutional issues.
Florentino Pérez will remain president of Real Madrid at least until 2030
However, the election also left a signal for the future. Riquelme, who put together his candidacy in a few weeks after the call made by the ruling party, managed to garner the support of more than a third of the voters and established himself as the main opposition figure within the club.
During the campaign, Pérez defended the continuity of the ownership model in the hands of the members and presented several of the projects he intends to develop during this new mandate. Among them, the deepening of the reforms related to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the evolution of the institutional structure of the entity stand out.
In the sports realm, the reelection also ratifies important decisions already announced by the management. Among them are the return of José Mourinho to the bench of the first team, the signings of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, and a blockbuster signing of 150 million euros, rumored to be Michael Olise.
The elected president will also face a demanding transfer market and the task of rebuilding both the football and basketball projects, two areas that finished the season below expectations. In this context, he will also need to define pending issues related to future signings and the sports planning of both disciplines.
With this victory, Florentino Pérez adds a new chapter to one of the most successful administrations in the history of Real Madrid. However, the growth of an organized opposition and the emergence of a competitor with significant backing have opened up a different scenario from the last few years and anticipate a political race that could have a new chapter in 2030.
