Quick Read
- Joan Laporta has been re-elected as Barcelona president for the next five years with a significant majority of votes.
- The victory is largely seen as a validation of the club’s recent sporting successes under coach Hansi Flick.
- Laporta emphasized the democratic process and pledged a thrilling future for the club.
BARCELONA (Azat TV) – Joan Laporta has been overwhelmingly re-elected as the president of FC Barcelona for the next five years, securing a decisive victory over his sole opponent, Victor Font. The election, held on Sunday, saw Laporta garner a significant majority of the votes cast by the club’s members, known as socios.
Laporta Secures Landslide Victory
Official results indicate that Laporta received 32,934 out of 48,480 votes, representing approximately 68% of the total ballots cast. Victor Font, who also challenged Laporta in the 2021 election, received 14,385 votes, while 984 votes were left blank and 177 were declared void. The overall turnout for the election reached 42.34%, with 114,504 members eligible to participate.
A Mandate for Continued Leadership
Following the ratification of his victory at Spotify Camp Nou, Laporta expressed his gratitude to the club’s members, emphasizing the democratic process and the special nature of FC Barcelona. “It’s great to see that members can still choose who represents us,” Laporta stated, with members chanting “president.” He added, “The result itself is conclusive and it gives us a lot of strength — so much strength that it will make us unstoppable.” Laporta pledged to continue defending the club, promising that the upcoming years would be “thrilling” and “the best of our lives.”
Sporting Success Underpins Campaign
Laporta’s re-election is largely attributed to the recent sporting achievements under head coach Hansi Flick. Flick led Barcelona to a domestic treble last season, including LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Supercopa, and guided the team to their first Champions League semi-final since 2019. The emergence of young talents such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Bernal, and Fermin Lopez has also been highlighted as a key aspect of Laporta’s successful tenure. His previous presidency, from 2003 to 2010, was also marked by significant success, including the appointment of Pep Guardiola and the club’s first treble in 2009.
Members Participate in Democratic Process
Current and former club figures, including head coach Hansi Flick and several first-team players like Pau Cubarsi and Dani Olmo, cast their votes on Sunday. The election day coincided with Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Sevilla in LaLiga, allowing many players to vote after the match. However, some notable figures experienced minor setbacks; goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was unable to vote as his name was not on the electoral register, reportedly due to an outdated membership status. Former coach Xavi Hernández, who had recently criticized Laporta regarding Lionel Messi’s departure, also cast his ballot.
Laporta’s decisive win signals a strong mandate from the Barcelona membership, reinforcing confidence in his leadership amid a period of renewed sporting success and the development of promising young talent.