Ceferin's undemocratic plan causes division at the top of UEFA

Aleksander Ceferin, who has been the president of UEFA since 2016 following Michel Platini's departure, now faces significant controversy regarding his future plans for the organization. 

Re-elected in 2019 for a second four-year term and automatically re-elected for a third term this year, Ceferin is reportedly seeking to change UEFA's statutes to allow for a fourth term. This move has stirred up considerable debate within UEFA's executive committee.

The current UEFA statutes typically limit the presidency to three terms, which would make Ceferin's current term his last. However, proponents of the statute change argue that Ceferin is entitled to an additional term because he replaced Platini midway through a four-year period. This discussion came to a head last week during a UEFA executive committee meeting, where vice president David Gill, known for his past as Manchester United's director, reportedly reacted angrily to the proposal, calling it undemocratic. Gill is not alone in his opposition; several other members also reportedly spoke out against the proposal during the meeting.

The extent of support for Ceferin's controversial plan will become clear at the upcoming UEFA congress on February 8th in Paris. If two-thirds of the 55 member states back the change in the statutes, Ceferin will be allowed to stay in office beyond the current limit. UEFA has confirmed that there is indeed a proposal to amend the statutes on several points. Interestingly, it was Ceferin who had introduced the rule that each UEFA official could serve a maximum of three terms. If the amendment is passed and terms before 2017 are not counted, Ceferin could potentially remain in power until 2031, raising questions about the governance and democratic process within UEFA.