Enrique Riquelme enters Real Madrid presidential race

Enrique Riquelme said on May 23 that he would run for the Real Madrid presidency, opening the first live contest around the club’s top job in years after Florentino Pérez called fresh elections earlier this month. Real Madrid’s electoral board had already published the election timetable on May 14, with candidacies accepted from May 14 through May 23. Pérez said on May 12 that he would seek another term and used a press appearance to push back on rumours about his health and possible challengers. By Saturday, Riquelme had confirmed he intended to stand against him. ### Who is Enrique Riquelme and what did he say? Enrique Riquelme was identified by multiple reports on May 23 as the businessman seeking to challenge Pérez in the Real Madrid election. The Athletic reported that Riquelme confirmed his plans after attending the club’s Valdebebas training ground on Saturday. Riquelme’s move puts a named challenger into an election that Pérez had framed as a response to what he called campaigns against him. Public reporting on Saturday described Riquelme as an entrepreneur and said he had formally moved to enter the race. ### What exactly has Real Madrid said about the election process? Real Madrid said on May 14 that the electoral board had called elections for president and board of directors under article 38 of the club’s bylaws. The club’s published timetable said candidacies could be submitted from May 14 to May 23, inclusive, and that admission and proclamation of candidacies would take place on the day after submission. The same notice said that if more than one candidacy is proclaimed, the electoral board will announce the date and location for voting. Real Madrid also said members on the electoral roll could vote by mail under the club’s electoral regulations. ### Why has the bank guarantee become part of this story? Real Madrid’s electoral board said in minutes published on May 23 that Florentino Pérez’s candidacy, submitted on May 22 by Eduardo Fernández de Blas as representative, included a presentation letter, a list of members and an electoral program. The minutes added that “a prior bank guarantee is not required” because that candidacy was not obliged to provide one under article 40.C.5 of the club’s bylaws. The board then said it had unanimously declared Pérez’s candidacy valid after reviewing the documents and confirming that the submission met the requirements in the electoral regulations and applicable legal provisions. The published minutes referred specifically to Pérez’s candidacy, not to any other submission. ### What did Florentino Pérez say before Riquelme entered? Florentino Pérez said on May 12 that he would not resign and had asked the board to initiate the electoral process in which the current board would participate. In the same appearance at Ciudad Real Madrid, he said: “At Madrid, there is no single owner; it’s the 100,000 members.” Pérez also used that appearance to deny rumours about his health. He said, “My health is perfect,” and described claims that he had terminal cancer as false. He also said there were people “working in the shadows” to run for the presidency. ### What happens next in the race? May 23 was the final day in the club’s published window for submitting candidacies. Real Madrid’s election notice says appeals against the proclamation or rejection of candidacies can be filed within two calendar days after notification and publication. The next formal step now rests with Real Madrid’s electoral board. If it proclaims more than one valid candidacy, the board says it will publish the voting date and location for members eligible to take part.