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Statutory reform introducing electronic voting in FC Barcelona short of 58 supports

04 October 2019
Statutory reform introducing electronic voting in FC Barcelona short of 58 supports

60% of the Delegates voted for the proposal of Sí al futur, but 173 negative votes prevent to reach the necessary two thirds.

The proposal by Sí al futur (Yes to the Future in Catalan) in favour of the introduction of the electronic vote in Futbol Club Barcelona won the day in the Delegates’ Assembly of the Entity this Sunday, but it fell short of 58 supporters to obtain the necessary statutory reform to make it become a reality. Among the Delegates present at the Palau Blaugrana at that time, 359 said Yes to the initiative (60%), 173 opposed it (29%) and 67 opted for a blank vote (11%). 599 votes, in total. Despite the clear victory, the statutory modification did not prosper because the support of at least two-thirds of the Delegates had to be obtained.

Víctor Font was responsible for presenting the proposal on behalf of Sí al futur and of the 5,000 members who had previously signed in favour of the initiative. Talking after the Assembly, Font stressed that the electronic vote would have had the support of a large majority of the Assembly despite “the apocalyptic description” that the secretary of the Board, Maria Teixidor, made in her speech. "We are happy to see that one of the ideas that we promote to democratize and generate more participation in the Club has the support of members", Font said.

Font also regretted the position of the Board, which criticized and questioned electronic voting, yet ended up asking for the favourable vote. “The cynical position on many issues is a characteristic of this Board, which says one thing and then does another. Its intervention has generated doubts and confusion,” lamented Font. “I am very clear that there is no political will to implement electronic voting. In the current model, those who govern want to manage the Club as owners and, beyond the vote every six years, members can only participate in these Delegates’ Assembly that must be reformed from top to bottom”. In this sense, Font recalled that “in addition to the Delegates who have been chosen by lottery, the presidents of the federations of ‘penyes’ and the senators of the Club are also invited to the Assembly by the Statutes, and those governing the Club have a way of exerting influence here. That is why whoever governs does not want to change the rules of the game”.

In order for the proposal on electronic voting to be debated in the Assembly of Committees, Sí al futur presented 5,030 signatures of members in favour of the measure, of which 4,699 were considered valid. The number exceeded the 3,253 signatures necessary to discuss the initiative (3% of the Club’s passive suffrage). It is the first time in the recent history of the Club that, at the proposal of a member, a point is introduced in the agenda of the Delegates’ Assembly.

The proposal of Sí al futur included that, in coexistence with the traditional in-person voting, the electronic vote would be implemented in the elections to the presidency, including the collection of signatures of the candidates; it would also allow reforming the Delegates’ Assembly so as to open it to the whole social mass; and would elicit member opinion on some symbolic issues. The vote for the presidency through electronic voting would have to wait for the Parliament of Catalonia to pass the new Catalan Sport and Physical Activity Act, which includes this voting modality.

Sí al futur will continue working to make the project known among Barça’s social mass. The next public event will be held on Thursday, December 19, when it will be presented in Vic in an act with Victor Font like those that have been made in Barcelona, Granollers and Sant Cugat.