FC Barcelona fans were very shocked on Monday when Joan Laporta resigned as club president. However, the resignation was not a sudden farewell, but a procedural step that allows Laporte to seek re-election in the March 15 presidential vote.
Barcelona confirmed that Laporte’s decision had started a 35-day countdown to the election, with the lawyer-president widely expected to be the favourite. Laporta, who returned to office in March 2021 after winning 54% of the vote, intends to regain the role at the ballot box and return on July 1.
It’s a familiar Barcelona moment, dramatic on the surface but rooted in the club’s statutes. Laporte’s final spell at the helm covered one of the club’s most turbulent and defining phases. It started with Lionel Messi’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain and has since gone through a financial overhaul, structural changes and a team now defending their LaLiga and Copa del Rey titles as well as trying to reassert themselves in Europe after reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
For the time being, vice president Rafa Yuste will serve as interim president until June 30, ensuring continuity for Barcelona ahead of the election season. The club are currently top of LaLiga, just one point behind Real Madrid, meaning the tension is not limited to the boardroom.
Why did Laporta resign as Barcelona president?
The reason is clear: Barcelona rules required it.
Laporta’s resignation is linked to Article 42.f of the club’s constitution, which says that the incumbent president must resign in order to be re-elected. By formally resigning, Laporta removed the only legal obstacle preventing him from running again.
The resignation was formalized at a regular board meeting. According to club regulations, Laporte’s decision also triggered the automatic departure of eight members of its executive board. This is more procedural than political, and if Laporta wins again, the same numbers could return after ratification by the Assembly of Delegates, since council members are not elected individually.
Rafa Yuste, a trusted ally of Laporta and a key figure in the sports department, has stepped in as interim president, a move designed to stabilize things during the transition.
Can Laporta return to Barcelona president?
Laporte’s comeback could come quickly if the vote goes his way. He aims to regain the role in the March 15 election and take office again from July 1. He is widely regarded as the front-runner, although he will face opposition from long-time rival Victor Font. Former club manager Xavier Vilajoana and economist Marc Ciria also confirmed their intention to run.
The election will be the 15th presidential vote in Barcelona’s history since the first vote in 1953. Around 100,000 club members of legal age with at least one year of membership are eligible to vote.
Barcelona will again hold voting in multiple locations to increase turnout, with polling stations in Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida and Andorra la Vella. In 2021, more than 20,000 out of 55,000 voters cast their postal vote.
So Laporta may have been sidelined for now, but if March goes as expected, his return may not be far off.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 10, 2026
