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| Catalonia election: Separatist parties keep their majority | Catalonia election: Separatist parties keep their majority |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Catalan separatist parties are on track to win most seats in the new regional parliament, setting the stage for more confrontation with Spain's government. | Catalan separatist parties are on track to win most seats in the new regional parliament, setting the stage for more confrontation with Spain's government. |
| However the Citizens party, which wants Catalonia to remain a semi-autonomous part of Spain, is the biggest party. | However the Citizens party, which wants Catalonia to remain a semi-autonomous part of Spain, is the biggest party. |
| As a result, it is unclear who will be given the right to form a government. | As a result, it is unclear who will be given the right to form a government. |
| The Madrid government stripped Catalonia of its autonomy and called the election after declaring an October independence referendum illegal. | The Madrid government stripped Catalonia of its autonomy and called the election after declaring an October independence referendum illegal. |
| With more than 95% of votes counted, Citizens (Cs) had 25%, winning 36 seats in the 135-seat chamber. | With more than 95% of votes counted, Citizens (Cs) had 25%, winning 36 seats in the 135-seat chamber. |
| But the pro-independence parties Together for Catalonia, Republican Left of Catalonia and Popular Unity were together on course to win a total of 70 seats, giving them a majority. | But the pro-independence parties Together for Catalonia, Republican Left of Catalonia and Popular Unity were together on course to win a total of 70 seats, giving them a majority. |
| Within the separatist party block, ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont's Together for Catalonia party was slightly ahead of the Republican left of Catalonia, led by his former deputy Oriol Junqueras. | |
| Mr Puigdemont is in self-imposed exile in Brussels. He is accused by Spanish prosecutors of rebellion and sedition. | |
| Turnout was more than 80%, a record for a Catalan regional election. | |
| Why did the election take place? | |
| Separatists who dominated the previous Catalan parliament declared independence on 27 October, after the referendum. | |
| In an attempt to stop that referendum, Spanish police stormed some polling stations. However voters defied the Spanish courts and riot police to cast their ballots. | |
| The move led to violent clashes with hundreds of people reported injured. Footage showing police tackling people at polling stations and pulling a woman by her hair caused outrage. | |
| According to the organisers, 90% of voters were in favour of independence, but fewer than half the region's electorate took part. | |
| Mr Puigdemont decided it was enough to declare independence from Spain. | |
| Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then sacked the Catalan government, imposed direct rule and called the 21 December election. |