Catalonia’s independence movement claimed victory in the region’s election with parties seeking secession set to gain an overall majority in parliament, The Independent writes.
JxCat is expected to get 34 seats; ERC 32 and the CUP 4. Ciudadnos is due to get 36 seats: the Catalan Socialist party 17; the anti-austerity Comu-Poden 8 and the People’s Party 4.
Late on Thursday, JxCAt – led by deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont – claimed victory and demanded the release of political prisoners.
"The Spanish state has been defeated," Mr Puigdemont said, without saying if he would return to Spain. "Mariano Rajoy has received a slap in the face from Catalonia."