The victory of the current president comes after a historic day of participation, a recount delayed by the challenge of more than 1,000 mail-in votes.
The current white president has defeated Enrique Riquelme in the first elections with real competition at the club in two decades and opens a new era at the helm of the entity, marked by the announced return of José Mourinho, the signings of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, and the future referendum on the club's corporate transformation.
Florentino Pérez obtained 21,741 votes, representing 65%. For his part, Enrique Riquelme achieved 11,814 votes, 35%.
Florentino's victory came after a much longer night than expected. Exit polls had anticipated a clear lead for the president, but the count was delayed for hours due to challenges regarding mail-in votes. Riquelme's candidacy managed to have more than 1,000 votes favorable to Florentino reviewed, of which several hundred were annulled due to formal defects.
The delay did not change the outcome. Florentino won by a wide margin and prevailed at the polling stations, confirming that he retains majority control of the Madridista members. Riquelme, however, managed to turn an election that seemed like a ratification into a real dispute over the club's institutional model.
Florentino wins and opens a new term until 2030
Florentino Pérez will face a new mandate at the helm of Real Madrid. It will be a key term due to age, the sporting project, and the debate over the club's legal and economic future.
The white president, who had already governed the entity in several stages since 2000, once again overcomes a competitive election. His victory allows him to face a new phase in which he wants to close immediate sporting moves and present his proposal for the club's model transformation to the members.
The result confirms that the majority of members have opted for continuity. Riquelme's campaign mobilized a significant bloc of opposition, but it was not enough to unseat the leader who has shaped Real Madrid's recent history.
Mail-in votes delay recount for hours
The election night was marked by mail-in votes. Enrique Riquelme's candidacy challenged more than 1,000 votes favorable to Florentino Pérez due to formal defects, especially related to envelope sealing.
The episode delayed the count and raised tensions in Valdebebas. First, about 400 annulled votes were reported, and then another 600 questioned votes, which made the scrutiny the main focus of the night.
The incident did not jeopardize Florentino's victory, as he maintained a wide lead. But it did offer a political takeaway: mail-in voting once again proved to be a sensitive issue in a Real Madrid election, as had already happened in other historical club processes.