Antonio Garamendi has paved the way to run for a third term at the helm of the CEOE. At this morning’s meeting of the executive committee of the employers’ association, his proposal to revoke the two-term limitation of the president of the CEOE, in force since 2014, has received support from the vast majority of its members. He has had the explicit support of Foment del Treball, the Madrid employers’ association (CEIM), the Valencian (CEV), Cepyme and ATA, as well as other organizations such as Seopan, CNC, Confemental, AEB and Unespa, among others. There was only one vote against and one abstention.
We can highlight the intervention of the president of Foment, Josep Sánchez Llibre, who has shown himself in favor of the modification of the statutes and which has been followed by a hug between him and Garamendi with applause from the members of the executive committee. In his speech, Sánchez Llibre explicitly reiterated his loyalty to the president of the CEOE, to avoid potential suspicions after past clashes, and stated that given the majority of positions in favor of this change, they were not leaving to oppose
The modification of the statutes is not yet firm because it must obtain the approval of the General Assembly, which is scheduled to meet on July 19, although given the support obtained today, the path for the change of statutes appears clear.
In this way, Garamendi, re-elected last year by a resounding majority and who ends his term in 2026, will be able to choose to run again, something that for the moment is prohibited by the statutes. In its current wording, point 4 of article 18 states that “the person designated as president of the Confederation may hold office for a maximum of two consecutive terms of four years each.” It was a limitation that Juan Rosell introduced in 2014, when he was president of the CEOE, of which he was the first to be affected, since he left office in 2018, after two consecutive terms. Before Rosell, there was no term limit during the time of Carlos Ferrer Salat, José María Cuevas and Gerardo Díaz. The most notable case is that of Cuevas, who led the organization for 23 years.
Before his re-election last November, Garamendi had already studied this possibility of changing the statutes, but he never formally expressed it. It has been now, a few months after his re-election and with more than three years to go, when he has made a move to suppress this ceiling. And also coinciding with
The revocation of the maximum of the two mandates is not the only change that is being proposed. The conditions to present himself as a candidate for president are also hardened. In the proposal to modify the statutes, to which “La Vanguardia” has had access, it is proposed to advance the period necessary to present candidates for the elections (from the current 15 days to 40), and increase the number of endorsements that are require (now there are 20 members and 4 organizations, and it would go to 10% of voters and 6 organizations). In addition, in the event that there is only one candidate, it will be proclaimed by acclamation without being put to a vote, which now the request of a single member may require.
Foment del Treball examined the proposal at its meeting on June 12, although without making a final decision at that time, pending more details that had to be provided at a later meeting of the CEOE’s internal regime commission. Today their support for change has been expressed.
In any case, Garamendi had anticipated the proposal in a telephone conversation with the president of Foment, Josep Sánchez Llibre, as well as with other vice presidents of the CEOE. After the tough confrontations in the past, including the presentation of an alternative candidacy such as that of Virginia Guinda, after Garamendi’s re-election last November, the two parties have redirected relations, and point out that there is a good climate of understanding.
