Vote in the FC Barcelona Presidential Election!

[Duque de Bragança]

As a lifelong fan (no longer a member, though) I have always loved this, however it makes the running of the club insanely political (in the sense that you have a constituency you have to please).

And they make big campaign promises that maybe don't help the club?

I think it's really fun from the outside. Very different here. Do they have elections like this in Germany too? I feel like Thomas Hitzlsperger has been running or ran for President of Stuttgart, but I'm not sure.

The Sócio system is still common in Portugal, with sometimes special rules such as in Benfica where seniority gives you more votes.  In Porto and the others, it's still 1 sócio = 1 vote.
Since it was election year, Benfica president, the notorious Luis Filipe Viera spent like 100 million € on a "new" coach and signings before having the best player to City to recoup the losses after not qualifying for the Champions' League.

PS: Sócio system completely alien to French football.

[Barrister]

Anyway, the who is who:

1 - Víctor Font, venture capitalist and local media "mogul" (we are a pretty small market). He would appoint Xavi as head of football. He polls at a distant #2, but he has hopes of concentrating the tactical vote against Laporta (who polls at #1 but is a very controversial figure). He had a bit of a gaffe early in the campaign where he wasn't assertive enough about extending Messi's contract, which is a capital sin (even though the sensible thing would be to let him walk).

2 - Antoni Freixa, lawyer. He was part of Bartomeu's board, but had the fortune of quitting before things went truly to shit, so he's managed to remain largely untainted by it. He polls at #3 and has no chance.

3 - Joan Laporta, lawyer. The big favorite. Boombastic, larger than life, certainly would bring entertainment off the pitch. He presided over the resurgence of the club in the 2000s, which is his biggest calling card for this election. He also has the fortune that Bartomeu's disastrous stewardship has made most voters forget about all the controversy and scandals that happened at the tail end of his own presidency (including claims that he cooked the books). Rumor has it that he would appoint Arteta as manager 

4 - Emili Rousaud, founder and CEO of an energy company. Also a former member of Bartomeu's board, he quit one year ago, so he's a bit more tainted than Freixa    He got past the first round but mysteriously quit the race a few weeks ago without giving reasons, although it probably was because he was polling a very distant #4 and both Font and Laporta were outspending the others by a big margin. He taught at my uni, and at the time his nickname among students was ironically "Zidane"

5 - Jordi Farré, entrepreneur and former porn producer (he was part of the boom of Catalan porn in the late 1990s). He didn't make the cut, but he did lead the motion of no confidence that ousted Bartomeu back in autumn. He was the most colorful candidate after Laporta, so he was a bit of a loss.

6 - Agustí Benedito, car dealership businessman. It's the third time he runs, and for a long time he was the sole opposition to Bartomeu. Yet the world is a cruel place and after he's proven right and the Bartomeu board collapses in ignominy, he doesn't even manage to get out of the first round.

You've given us six names but there are only 5 pictures in the poll...

[The Larch]

There are 6 pictures.

[Sheilbh]

I can only see five

[Duque de Bragança]

I see the six.

[Barrister]

I now see six voting totals, but even double-checking on my phone only 5 pics show up.  #2 doesn't display.

[The Brain]

The OCP candidate is secret.

[The Larch]

I now see six voting totals, but even double-checking on my phone only 5 pics show up.  #2 doesn't display.

This one?

[The Brain]

Oh you.

[Barrister]

I now see six voting totals, but even double-checking on my phone only 5 pics show up.  #2 doesn't display.

This one?

If I copy-paste that link into a separate window it makes me go through a Captcha, then I can see the image.

Edit: and now it appears in this thread as well.

[The Larch]

Maybe it's an EU - GDPR thing? It happens sometimes when viewing American sites from here that you either are unable because of GDPR or you have to go through a loop in which you have to accept some conditions.

[celedhring]

Man, I just can't stop staring at dat hair. Envy.

[Duque de Bragança]

Man, I just can't stop staring at dat hair. Envy.

Better hair than Puigdemont for sure.


Was it a wig? 

[Sheilbh]

Given my lockdown hair that picture is quite triggering

[Barrister]

I went and got a haircut yesterday.  First since mid-November.  It feels glorious!