Laporta came under increased criticism from press and fans alike following two seasons without a trophy and white handkerchiefs were waved in disapproval at the current regime in the club's final home matches last season.

The Barca president then saw his position come under threat when club member Oriol Giralt collected more than 9,000 signatures in favour of a censure motion.

The club's members must now vote to decide whether to stick with Laporta or opt for a change in direction. For Laporta to be ousted from the post he took up in 2003, he must receive less than a third of the vote from a minimum of 10 per cent of the club's members.

That scenario would see Laporta forced to stand down two years before the end of his mandate, prompting presidential elections to be called later in the summer.

Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall stated that the process will reinforce the democratic ethos that is in place at the club.

"The board of directors values the process, and how it has gone, positively," he told a press conference.

"It is an important act that we want to develop according to the guidelines and that at the end will have reinforced the democratic institution that is in place."

Laporta appeared to do everything right in his first three years at the club.

When he took over as president, Barcelona had just laboured to sixth place in the Primera Liga following a hugely depressing campaign and only qualified for the UEFA Cup on the last day of the season.

Laporta moved quickly to sign Frank Rijkaard as coach and launch an ambitious project which also saw Ronaldinho arrive at the club that summer.

Despite a slow start, Barcelona produced a great run in the second half of the season and came within a whisker of winning the title, eventually losing out narrowly to eventual champions Valencia.

Deco and Samuel Eto'o arrived the following summer and helped the club to back-to-back titles in the next two seasons.

The team also won the Champions League for the second time in their history in 2006 and looked set to dominate Spanish football for years to come.

But two seasons without a trophy have left fans angry at Laporta's perceived arrogance and the president has also seemingly paid the price for criticising the club's fans at a lecture earlier this season.

Since the end of the campaign and the announcement of the impending censure motion, Laporta has sought to go on a charm offensive.

Popular former club captain Pep Guardiola has been brought in as coach after Rijkaard was sacked, while Seydou Keita and Martin Caceres have joined the playing staff.

Sevilla's highly-rated full-back Daniel Alves is also set to join, while Guardiola revealed on Tuesday that the club are in the market for a striker.

In his official presentation as coach, Guardiola also revealed that Ronaldinho, Deco and Eto'o - three symbols of Barcelona's rise and fall in recent seasons - will leave the club this summer.