Joan Laporta Resigns as Barcelona President Ahead of March 15 Election

Joan Laporta has officially resigned as FC Barcelona president in line with club regulations, ahead of the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for March 15.

Barcelona’s statutes require the sitting president to step down before elections, with a management commissionappointed to oversee the club’s daily operations during the interim period.

Laporta, who returned to office in March 2021 after securing 54 per cent of the vote, exits the role after nearly five years in charge. Vice President Rafa Yuste will serve as acting president for the next three and a half months.

The lawyer-turned-executive is seeking to reclaim the presidency at the polls and, if successful, would resume office on July 1. He is widely regarded as the front-runner, with long-time rival Victor Font expected to mount the strongest challenge.

Other confirmed candidates include former club executive Xavier Vilajoana and economist Marc Ciria, who is contesting a Barcelona presidential election for the first time.

Approximately 100,000 Barcelona members of legal age, each with at least one year of club membership, are eligible to vote in the election.

Barcelona has also confirmed that voting will once again take place across multiple venues in an effort to boost turnout. Polling stations will be set up at the club’s facilities, in the Catalan provincial capitals of Girona, Tarragona, and Lleida, as well as Andorra la Vella.

The club ruled out postal voting, despite appeals from opposition candidates. In a statement, Barcelona explained that postal voting was only allowed in the 2021 elections as an exceptional measure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During that election, more than 20,000 of the 55,000 members who cast ballots did so by post.