The Madrid members vote for a new president on a day not exempt from controversies

MadridReal Madrid is experiencing a different day with the first presidential elections in 20 years. The two candidates, Enrique Riquelme and the current leader Florentino Pérez, voted this morning at the Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid, as the Santiago Bernabéu is one of the chosen venues to receive the Pope of Rome. As reported by the club, at 5 p.m., eight hours after the polls opened, 23,593 members had cast their ballot, which represents 31.37% of the total eligible to vote.

The white club, through a statement, has provided a second participation index in the elections through the 60 ballot boxes installed in the basketball pavilion at the Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas, which will be open until 8 p.m. The elections, in which Florentino Pérez and Enrique Riquelme compete, have a total census of 75,214 members, so there are still 51,621 left to vote, who have time until the closing of the ballot boxes, in less than three hours, when the count that designates the winner will begin.

Enrique Riquelme Vives, born in Cox (Alicante, 1989), is trying to put an end to the reign of the veteran Florentino Pérez. The president of the energy company Cox has a personal fortune of over 187 million euros and has surrounded himself with former players like Iker Casillas, Del Bosque, Raúl or Hierro to try to stop Florentino, who will sign Mourinho as coach.

A controversial chairman

The day is currently unfolding without major incidents, with the exception of the controversy arising from the presence of Carlos Clara as president of an electoral board. Clara, a fan with a violent past and linked to the far-right, was convicted in 2025 for a serious offense of assaults and injuries, as he had assaulted a Madrid fan outside the stadium.