Laporta reelected Barcelona president with 68.18% of vote

Joan Laporta was reelected president of FC Barcelona on Sunday, defeating rival candidate Víctor Font with 68.18 percent of the vote after all ballots were counted. Laporta received 32,934 votes from the 48,480 club members who cast ballots, representing 42.34 percent of the eligible voting membership.

The turnout marked the lowest participation rate in relative terms since 1997, when 34.38 percent of members voted. In absolute numbers, however, Sunday's vote count was the smallest since 2015, when 47,270 members participated.

An exit poll conducted by Catalan public television TV3 had projected Laporta's victory earlier in the day, showing him with 66.6 percent support compared to Font's 30.9 percent. Upon learning of the results, Laporta and his campaign team, "Defensem el Barça," celebrated at the Camp Nou with chants of "President, president."

Laporta's reelection secures him another five-year term leading the club. He previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 and began his current term after winning the 2021 election.

The campaign saw prominent support for Laporta from figures including coach Hansi Flick, player Lamine Yamal, and political figures Jordi Pujol and Ernest Urtasun. On voting day, Laporta appeared at the Camp Nou alongside club personalities including Sergio Busquets, Aitana Bonmatí, and Jordi Pujol. He was photographed embracing Flick and interacting with members of the playing squad after casting his vote.

Voting took place at a tent in the parking area of the Palau Blaugrana, which was equipped with 110 polling stations with capacity for 995 people. The voting began at 9 a.m. on a sunny day that drew families and supporters of all ages wearing club colors.

Laporta first entered Barcelona's orbit in 1998 as founder of the Elefant Blau platform. His initial presidential victory came in 2003 against Lluís Bassat, the consensus candidate at the time.