Joan Laporta has stepped down as Barcelona president to seek re-election, setting in motion a 35-day campaign period ahead of the March 15 vote, the club said Monday.
Laporta, who returned to office in March 2021 after winning 54 percent of the vote, resigned in line with club statutes after nearly five years in charge. Vice President Rafa Yuste will serve as acting president until the election process is completed.
A lawyer by training, Laporta is seeking a fresh mandate and would return to office on July 1 if re-elected. He is widely regarded as the frontrunner, with long-time rival Victor Font expected to be his main challenger.
Former club executive Xavier Vilajoana and economist Marc Ciria, who is running in a Barcelona presidential election for the first time, have also confirmed their candidacies.
Around 100,000 Barcelona members of legal age with at least one year of membership are eligible to vote.
The club confirmed the election will once again be held across multiple venues in an effort to boost turnout. Polling stations will be set up at Barcelona’s facilities, in the Catalan provincial capitals of Girona, Tarragona and Lleida, and in Andorra la Vella.
Postal voting will not be allowed, despite requests from opposition candidates. Barcelona said the option was introduced on an exceptional basis for the 2021 election due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 20,000 of the 55,000 members who voted in that election did so by post.
Laporta’s latest spell in charge has coincided with a turbulent yet transformative period for the club. It began with Lionel Messi’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain and has progressed to a team defending LaLiga and Copa del Rey titles while pushing to re-establish itself in Europe after reaching the Champions League semifinals last season.
The current squad features 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, a La Masia product whose rapid rise Laporta has followed closely from the stands.
Off the pitch, Barcelona returned to Camp Nou in November after two and a half years away due to renovations. Capacity remains limited as work continues and delays persist, but the move back has helped fuel renewed optimism around a side led by German coach Hansi Flick, whose attacking approach has quickly won over supporters.
