This Sunday was municipal election day in France. In Catalonia, we also voted during the election of the future president of FC Barcelona. And even if the stakes are infinitely greater in France, it must be said that the elections for the Blaugrana were highly publicized on the other side of the Pyrenees. In parallel with the CulĂ©s’ big victory against Sevilla FC (5-2), the other issue of the day was to know who, Joan Laporta or Victor Font, would be elected president of Barça until 2031. Ultimately, the score, like the afternoon match, was clear.
Unsurprisingly, the Joan Laporta era continues at FC Barcelona. President of the Iberian club from 2003 to 2010 then from 2021 to now, the 65-year-old Catalan was elected for the third time after having obtained (provisionally, while 75% of the votes were counted) 68.47% of the votes, against 29.52% for Font. A clear victory which ensures a third mandate for Laporta, one of the most successful presidents in the history of FC Barcelona. Appreciated by the players and Hansi Flick, who were present at the polling station after the meeting and who widely congratulated him after his coronation, the leader celebrated the victory with a dance which could quickly become iconic. Following this festive evening, Laporta gave a big speech to present what his five-year term will consist of.
“The result makes us unstoppable»
And the least we can say is that the leader’s objectives are enormous for the future. In front of a cheerful crowd, Laporta first wanted to thank those who voted for him and those who surround him on a daily basis: “a big thank you to this wonderful club where members still vote to elect their president, which is unique in the world. I would like to particularly salute all the members who voted during this celebration marked by good citizenship and the Barcelona spirit. A big congratulations to all the collaborators who made this possible and to the committee chaired by Rafael Yuste. A big thank you to the candidacy of Nosaltres which allowed this celebration of Barcelonaism to take place. Many thanks to Hansi Flick, Deco, Bojan and all the leaders and managers of the national teams for their participation. And of course, thank you to all the members who voted and to my campaign colleagues.» Euphoric, Laporta then took part in the games of big promises.
Expected to strengthen the team during the next transfer windows with the purchase of a world-class striker as a highlight, the Catalan president intends to build on the momentum of recent years and promised that this election would make his Barça “unstoppable”: “members voted in favor of a proposal for unity rather than confrontation. It is a support for what we are doing: it is about completing the Camp Nou and the Espai Barça. Thanks to the players for participating. This result is clear and gives us a lot of strength, so much so that it makes us unstoppable. We will continue to defend Barça against everything and everyone. We will consolidate the economic recovery. Barça will always belong to its members. I am delighted that FC Barcelona fans have expressed their opinion, thus showing their support for continuity. They asked us to complete the stadium, continue financial growth and consolidate economic recovery, make the team even more competitive, while La Masia continues to train players, a central element of our sporting project. They also reminded us that FC Barcelona will always belong to its members. I believe that this makes us, more than anyone, the guarantors of this continuity.» The hardest part begins now for Laporta, who risks having a lot of work to do until 2031. While the Blaugranas have not won a Champions League since 2015, the president of the Culés would be well advised to allow Barça to win one in the next five years.
