Antonio Garamendi confirms re-election bid as CEOE president, accelerates electoral process

Electoral calendar brought forward

Antonio Garamendi, president of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) since November 2018, confirmed on Wednesday that he will seek a third four-year term. Speaking at an economic seminar in Santander, he said he had consulted with member organizations and received "express support" to continue. The CEOE has called an executive committee meeting for July 1 to fix the date of the electoral general assembly. Under the statutes, a minimum of three months must elapse between the call and the vote, so the election is expected to take place in late September or early October, well ahead of the November deadline. The acceleration is intended to avoid a clash with the Ibero-American Summit, scheduled for November 3–5 in Madrid, which includes a major business forum.

“I have consulted with people and I can say yes, I will run. It is time to continue, we must keep working. They have let me know they are happy with the management, and I will run. I am pleased to be encouraged to continue.”

Whistleblower complaint adds pressure

The electoral push comes days after El Confidencial reported that José Manuel de la Riva Zorrilla, a former vice-president of the small-business association Cepyme, has been granted protected whistleblower status by the Independent Authority for the Protection of Informants (AIPI). His complaint, filed in September 2025, alleges possible crimes of business corruption, offences against the Treasury and Social Security, misappropriation, and disloyal administration by the current CEOE leadership. No formal charges have been brought before any court. Garamendi dismissed the report as part of "dirty wars" and sought to separate the CEOE election from last year's bitter Cepyme contest.

Policy remarks and defence spending

During his Santander address, Garamendi also commented on the economic and geopolitical landscape. He said multilateralism has "jumped" and Europe faces major threats, including in defence. He criticised Spain's commitment to spend around 2% of GDP on defence, arguing the country should have adopted the 5% target set by some NATO allies. On trade, he described the United States as a "great partner" and noted that it is the top destination for Spanish outward investment, calling for more support to help companies sell abroad.

Potential rivals and internal dynamics

No alternative candidate has yet declared. The main potential challenger is Gerardo Cuerva, the former president of Cepyme, who lost a fiercely contested re-election bid last year to Ángela de Miguel, a candidate backed by Garamendi. Cuerva had openly criticised Garamendi for being too conciliatory toward the government, particularly over the labour reform pact. The accelerated timetable means any rival must secure the required endorsements 40 days before the vote, effectively during the summer, which could complicate efforts to mount a challenge.