Real Madrid's electoral commission has called presidential elections at the club after Florentino Pérez opted to seek a vote of confidence from members, following a second consecutive season without landing a major trophy.
Pérez announced in a heated news conference on Tuesday that he would be seeking re-election, having only been elected, unopposed, last year, as he denounced what he described as an orchestrated media campaign against him and the club.
Pérez has been in charge at Madrid since 2000 -- barring a three-year absence after his 2006 resignation -- and has faced no other candidate in the member-owned club's last five presidential elections.
Madrid's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in last weekend's Clásico at Camp Nou saw Barça crowned as LaLiga champions and confirmed Madrid's failure to win major silverware in two campaigns in a row for the first time in 20 years.
In a Spanish TV interview on Wednesday, Perez admitted that 2025-26 hadn't gone to plan, blaming the team's under performance on a truncated preseason due to the Club World Cup as well as refereeing mistakes.
He admitted he had been "angry" during Tuesday's 75-minute news conference, saying he was "sick" of "manipulation" from the media, promising signings this summer, and praising the previous impact of former coach José Mourinho, who is a leading contender to return ahead of next season.
On Wednesday, businessman and Madrid member Enrique Riquelme, who Pérez has mentioned as a possible opponent in elections, said he would "decide in the next few days if we accept the challenge."
Jose Mourinho has been linked with a return to Real Madrid. Carl Recine/Getty Images
Candidates now have until May 23 to present their candidacy, which would then have to be approved by the electoral commission, with a brief, two-week campaign and members' vote to follow.
The club's statutes -- tightened in 2012 -- state that presidential candidates must be Spanish nationals, have been club members for 20 years, and be able to personally guarantee 15% of the club's annual budget.
In an open letter to Pérez released to the media on Wednesday, Riquelme asked for a "dialogue" to agree on a longer electoral process, saying it would allow for "real participation" from members and fans.
