FCBARCELONA.CAT

05.07.2008 12:12

The importance of participation

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The club members of FC Barcelona have a date with the club this Sunday not to be missed, with the process of a vote of censure of the Board of Directors.

This Sunday, the 118, 528 club members with a right to vote have the power in their hands to decide if the present Board of Directors headed by Joan Laporta has to finalise its mandate (2006-2010) or not. Without doubt an important date with the club, its present and its future, and for this reason everyone involved wants the turnout of the Barcelona masses to be as high as possible.

As in the last two electoral dates –the elections in 2003 and 2000- this process of vote of censure takes place during the summer period, in which many people are on holiday and opt for other summer activities. This fact, however, did not prevent there being a very high turnout.

The year 2003, historic record turnout

In this way, and going back to the 15th of June 2003, when Joan Laporta became president, they had the highest turnout in the history of the club. 50,745 members voted, which represented 53.79% of the census. As regards the elections of the 23rd of July 2000, with a victory for Joan Gaspart, some 49.33% of the census took part, a total of 45,888 club members.

Low turnout in ‘97

However, in the electoral process of 1997, also celebrated in the summer, the participation index of the Barcelona members was slightly inferior. In this way Josep Lluís Núñez won an election with a participation percentage of 34.38%, or what is the same, 31,485 members.