MADRID - Real Madrid's election commission has called for a presidential election after Florentino Perez received a vote of no confidence from members, following a second consecutive season without a major trophy.
Perez announced in a heated press conference on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, local time, that he would seek re-election - having only been elected unopposed last year - while denouncing what he described as an organised media campaign against him and the club.
He raged during a 75-minute news conference by saying he was fed up with media manipulation, promised new signings this summer, and praised the previous impact of former coach Jose Mourinho, who is the leading candidate to return ahead of next season.
Perez has led Real Madrid since 2000 - except for three years after his resignation in 2006 - and has not faced another candidate in the club's last five presidential elections.
Real Madrid's 0-2 defeat to Barcelona in last weekend's El Clasico at Camp Nou saw the Blaugrana crowned LaLiga champions and confirmed Los Blancos' failure to win a major trophy in two consecutive seasons for the first time in 20 years.
In a Spanish television interview on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, local time, Perez admitted that the 2025/2026 season did not go according to plan, blaming the team's poor performance on the shortened pre-season due to the 2025 Club World Cup as well as refereeing errors.
Still in the interview, Perez named businessman and Real Madrid member Enrique Riquelme as a potential opponent in the election.
"He said he will decide in the next few days whether we accept the challenge or not.
Candidates now have until May 23, 2026, to submit their nominations, which must then be approved by the election commission, with a short two-week campaign and member voting to follow.
The club's statutes - tightened in 2012 - state that presidential candidates must be Spanish citizens, have been members of the club for 20 years, and be able to personally guarantee 15 percent of the club's annual budget.
In an open letter to Perez released to the media, Riquelme called for a dialogue to agree on a longer election process, saying it would allow for real participation from members and fans.
As is known, Perez's term of office actually runs until 2029 after he was re-elected in January 2025. However, recently, calls for him to resign have echoed from supporters given the team's poor results.
Therefore, Perez asked the election committee to speed up the election of the president of Real Madrid to find out whether his members really still voted for him or the motion of no confidence was true.
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