News Focus
- Florentino Perez has called for immediate presidential elections at Real Madrid
- Businessman Enrique Riquelme is considering a challenge for the top job
- Candidates must provide a bank guarantee of €187 million to stand
- Riquelme meets the 20-year membership requirement for the position
- The energy sector executive previously considered running in 2021
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has invited rivals to challenge him for control of the club. He made this call after announcing that the Spanish giants will hold presidential elections within the next two weeks.
The veteran president appeared angry during his announcement. He complained about a media campaign against his leadership. He also criticised what he called attempts to remove him from office.
Perez specifically mentioned one potential opponent without naming him directly. He referred to a man with a “Mexican accent” who speaks with power companies. Spanish newspapers Diario AS and Marca have identified this person as Enrique Riquelme.
Riquelme is a 37-year-old businessman who leads Cox Energy. He recently made headlines with a €4 billion takeover attempt of Iberdrola Mexico. Sources say he plans to travel to Spain soon to meet his advisers. He will discuss whether to officially enter the race. At the time of Perez’s speech, Riquelme was travelling to Panama.
Any candidate who wishes to stand against Perez must meet strict rules. They need to provide a bank guarantee worth €187 million. They must also prove they have been a club member for at least 20 years. Riquelme satisfies both requirements. His father previously served on the board during Ramon Calderon’s presidency. Riquelme also considered running for the position back in 2021.
The election could take place within 10 to 15 days according to Perez’s timeline. This would mark the first serious challenge to his leadership in recent years.