Laporta resigns as president of Barcelona to pursue re-election
Joan Laporta has stepped down as president of Barcelona to pursue re-election, initiating a 35-day countdown to the elections scheduled for March 15, the club announced on Monday.
Laporta, who assumed his role in March 2021 after securing 54% of the vote, resigns after almost five years at the helm, in accordance with club regulations. For the next three and a half months, Vice President Rafa Yuste will serve as president.
Lawyer Laporta is seeking to regain his position through the upcoming election and intends to resume office on July 1. He is generally regarded as the frontrunner against his long-time rival, Victor Font.
Xavier Vilajoana, a former club executive, along with economist Marc Ciria, who is entering the Barcelona election for the first time, have both announced their plans to run as candidates.
Approximately 100,000 Barcelona members who are of legal age and have maintained their membership for at least one year are entitled to vote.
Barcelona has announced that the election will once more take place at various venues, a choice aimed at boosting voter participation. Polling stations will be situated at the club’s facilities, as well as in the three other Catalan provincial capitals: Girona, Tarragona, and Lleida, along with Andorra la Vella.
The club announced that postal voting will not be allowed, even in light of requests from opposing candidates. “Barcelona stated that this was implemented on an exceptional basis during the 2021 elections because of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Over 20,000 of the 55,000 members who participated in the 2021 election cast their votes by mail.
Laporta’s recent tenure has encompassed a challenging and transformative era. The journey started with Lionel Messi’s move to Paris St Germain and has evolved into a team that is defending their LaLiga and Copa del Rey titles, while striving to reestablish their presence in Europe after reaching the Champions League semi-finals last year.
The team now includes 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, a talent from La Masia whose ascent Laporta has observed from the stands.
Barcelona made their return to the Camp Nou in November after a two and a half year hiatus for renovations. Capacity remains limited as work continues and is behind schedule, yet the delay has sparked a renewed sense of optimism among the team led by German coach Hansi Flick, whose attacking style has garnered support from fans.
