Josep Maria Bartomeu has been re-elected as Barcelona president after claiming 54.63% of the vote in Saturday's election, with nearest challenger Joan Laporta getting 33.03%.
Bartomeu, who resigned last month as an interim board took charge during the election period, will return to office and begin to implement some of the promises made in his campaign after fighting off the competition.
The 52-year-old, who took over in 2014 following Sandro Rosell's resignation, had placed a lot of importance on keeping the current sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airways in place, despite being seen as controversial by many.
Bartomeu was the only one of the final four candidates to make such a pledge, with the others all in favour of bringing the deal to a close, despite the 50 million it generates for the club per season.
Despite overseeing one of the most successful seasons in the club's history during the 2014-15 campaign, with Luis Enrique's men winning the treble, Bartomeu has been a figure of controversy at Camp Nou.
The entrepreneur previously worked alongside Rosell during a turbulent time for the club, as they were accused of various indiscretions involving the Neymar transfer, before Barca were also hit with a transfer ban due to breaking regulations regarding signing youth players.
However, it has been his closeness and working relationship with Luis Enrique that supposedly encouraged many fans to vote for Bartomeu, with the likes of Laporta reportedly looking to sign players that the coach may not have wanted in the first place.
Barca confirmed that 47,270 votes were cast in total, with Agusti Benedito and Toni Freixa getting 7.16% and 3.70% of that respectively.
Latest Stories
-
‘Flawed from the start’ – Martin Amidu dismisses Supreme Court ruling backing Majority Leader
49 seconds -
Afenyo-Markin’s bended knees recall plea insulting to electorate, waste of public funds – Martin Amidu
42 mins -
Martin Amidu: The majority leader’s memorandum to recall Parliament is needless now
1 hour -
Parliamentary disruption is a self-inflicted wound – Speaker’s lawyer criticises Supreme Court plaintiff’s actions
1 hour -
Seeds are more expensive than gold – Netherlands Ambassador calls for collective action on Agrobiodiversity
2 hours -
Grandad Sings: The 92-year-old TikTok sensation
2 hours -
‘No-one will win’: Canada, Mexico and China respond to Trump tariff threats
2 hours -
Kenya less open to visitors despite visa-free policy – report
3 hours -
New Mauritius PM has reservations about UK’s Chagos deal
3 hours -
Trump picks Covid lockdown critic to lead top health agency
3 hours -
Drake takes legal action over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us
3 hours -
We’re too boring for kids for social media ban – LinkedIn tells court
4 hours -
Celebrating Prempeh, the Asantehene banished by the British
4 hours -
Nigeria boat accident leaves five dead, 20 missing
4 hours -
Election 2024: We trust EC to uphold democracy – Ghanaian Hungarian Business Council
4 hours