The CEOE closes ranks so that Garamendi can perpetuate himself as president

2023-07-19 16:57:01

It is now final and official. Antonio Garamendi will be able to continue at the head of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) from 2026 and without any expiration date. The dissenting voices that in recent months had been raised ¬–albeit unofficially– against the fact of being able to perpetuate himself in office were extinguished and the General Assembly held this Wednesday the CEOE approved without any vote against and only one abstention. eliminate the limit of two consecutive terms as a maximum in the presidency.

In this way, Garamendi will be able to run for a third legislature if he wishes, although he refused to reveal his intentions, arguing that he has just been re-elected a few months ago. «I have four summers left as president of the CEOE. I know what will happen in four years », he declared.

During his closing speech at the assembly, Garamendi demanded that the next government “end the campaign of harassment and demolition” that companies and “businessmen with names and surnames” have been suffering in recent months and attacked the “interventionism” that is living “in the day to day” and the current lack of freedom of companies. In this sense, he charged against “the dozen regulatory changes” that the Executive has introduced “with nocturnal and treachery”, by changing the laws “without prior notice and behind the back of social dialogue” and took the opportunity to demand a reduction in the tax burden, with higher incentives and lower social contributions.

new rules of the game

It was the last step that was missing to reform the statutes of this institution and change the rules of the game to run for the CEOE presidency and there have been no surprises. Before, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee had already given their approval on June 21 to the modification of the statutes practically unanimously, arguing that the organizations themselves had sued it since the vast majority did not have this limitation of commands.

But it has not been the only change that was approved in regards to the rules to access the presidency of the employers’ association. From now on it will be a little more complicated to apply, since stricter requirements have been established. Thus, the green light was also given to increase the number of guarantees necessary to be a candidate, to the point that they are multiplied by four. If until now 20 endorsements from at least four CEOE organizations were required, it has been extended to 10% of voters (about 80) and that they also come from six different organizations.

In turn, if there is only one candidate, it will be proclaimed by acclamation without the need to submit to a vote, as is the case now if a member requests it, which will prevent the degree of discrepancy from being shown, since the vote is secret. In addition, whoever wants to run for president will have to do so 40 days before the elections and not 15 days as is the case now.

In addition, the General Assembly approved the activity report for the 2022 financial year, as well as the accounts for the past financial year and the budgets for 2023, which includes the president’s salary for the first time: 400,000 euros gross per year, 35,000 euros more than in 2022. .