Intro
Laporta resigns as Barcelona president to contest elections, triggering March 15 polls
Barcelona
Joan Laporta has stepped down as president of FC Barcelona to seek re-election, setting in motion a 35-day countdown to club elections scheduled for March 15. The club confirmed the development, in accordance with its statutes, which require a sitting president to resign before contesting a fresh mandate.
Laporta, who returned to office in March 2021 after securing 54 per cent of the vote, relinquishes the role after nearly five years at the helm. Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste will serve as acting president for the next three and a half months until a new board formally takes charge. If re-elected, Laporta is expected to resume office on July 1.
The 62-year-old lawyer is widely considered the frontrunner in the race and is set to renew his rivalry with Victor Font, who finished second in the previous election. Former club executive Xavier Vilajoana has also declared his candidacy, along with economist Marc Ciria, who will be contesting his first Barcelona presidential election.
Approximately 100,000 Barcelona members of legal age, each with at least one year of membership, are eligible to vote. As in 2021, the club said polling will be conducted across multiple venues to encourage greater participation. Voting stations will be set up at club facilities, in the Catalan provincial capitals of Girona, Tarragona and Lleida, as well as in Andorra la Vella.
Barcelona clarified that postal voting will not be permitted this time, noting that it was allowed only as an exceptional measure during the 2021 elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 20,000 members had voted by post in that election.
Laporta’s second tenure has coincided with a period of major transition. It began with Lionel Messi’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain and has since seen the club regain domestic strength, defending La Liga and Copa del Rey titles while returning to European relevance with a Champions League semi-final appearance last season.
Off the field, Barcelona returned to the Camp Nou in November after a prolonged renovation, albeit with limited capacity and ongoing work. The comeback, coupled with the emergence of teenage star Lamine Yamal and the attacking philosophy of coach Hansi Flick, has fuelled renewed optimism among supporters ahead of the elections.