Barcelona outline process and dates for presidential elections | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are heading into a decisive institutional period as the club’s presidential elections approach. Joan Laporta is expected to be in the running once again, with Victor Font also confirmed to throw his hat into the ring.

Laporta has been the president of Barcelona since the start of 2021. His tenure has been marked by considerable controversy, but it has also seen several positives. The biggest sore point during his tenure was the unceremonious exit of Lionel Messi.

There have always been other, subtler issues at play, but there is no denying that the club is in a better sporting position than it was then. Against this backdrop, the club has officially confirmed the date for its next presidential elections.

The elections will be held on Sunday, March 15, following a decision taken by the board of directors during a meeting at the Spotify Camp Nou offices. The date represents the earliest option permitted by the club’s statutes, which require the vote to take place between March 15 and June 15.

Laporta explained that the board believes this timing best serves the club’s institutional and sporting stability and expressed confidence that participation among the socios will be high.

The official call for elections will be made on February 8. Ahead of that, a Delegated Commission meeting on February 2 will decide which directors and executives remain in their roles and which join the electoral campaign.

Once the call is issued, Laporta will step aside from his duties as president to focus fully on his re-election bid, with vice president Rafa Yuste taking over as acting president during the campaign period.

In addition to Laporta and Font, Xavier Vilajoana and Marc Ciria have also declared their intention to run. More candidacies are expected, while each hopeful will need to gather the required number of signatures to become an official candidate. The new president will take office on July 1 and serve a five-year mandate.

Despite all his flaws, Laporta continues to hold strong sway among the socios, and it will come as no surprise to see him re-elected for the next term. Let us wait and see how things play out on this front in the coming days.