Counting underway in Catalan election

With 98% of the votes counted, Ciutadans is set to become the largest party in the Catalan Parliament with 37 seats, followed by pro-independence Together for Catalonia with 34 seats. Out of the 135 total seats, pro-independence parties would get 70, and 47.5% of the vote, thus retaining an absolute majority in the chamber. Unionists woud get 57 seats, and 43.5% of the vote. Between both blocs, the Catalonia in Common party would have 8 MPs.

Pro-independence: 70 seats and 47.5% votes

According to provisional results, the largest pro-independence party in the Catalan Parliament will be Together for Catalonia, the ticket led by dismissed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, currently in Brussels and facing charges of rebellion in Spain. Together for Catalonia would get 34 seats.

The second largest party in the pro-independence bloc is set to be the left-wing Esquerra Republicana (ERC), led by former vice president Oriol Junqueras, who is currently in prison accused of rebellion. The party number two is Marta Rovira. ERC would get 32 seats.

In 2015, ERC and Puigdemont’s party won the election as coalition partners in the Together for Yes ticket. They got 62 seats with 39.59% of the vote.

The anti-capitalist CUP party is set to obtain 4 seats. Its leader is Carles Riera. In the last election, CUP became the kingmakers, with its 10 seats and 8.21% of the vote granting the pro-independence bloc a majority.

Unionists: 57 seats and 43.5% votes

Meanwhile, Ciutadans is set to become the largest party on the unionist side with 36 seats. Its leader, Inés Arrimadas, would once again become the head of the opposition in the Catalan Parliament. In the 2015 election, Ciutadans managed 25 seats with 17.9% of the vote.

The second largest party on the unionist side would be the Socialists, with 17 seats. Their leader is Miquel Iceta. In the previous election, the Socialists got 16 seats and 12.72% of the vote.

The People’s Party, the Catalan branch of Spain’s ruling party, would get 3 seats. Its leader is Xavier García Albiol. In 2015, the party won 11 seats with 8.49% of the vote.

In between blocs: Catalonia in Common

So far, Catalonia in Common has firmly rejected both blocs. As a party, it has positioned itself against Catalonia's unilateral independence, but also against Spain's measures to stop it. Its leader is Xavier Domènech. According to provisional results, it would get 8 seats. In the last election, the party’s predecessor won 11 seats with 8.94% of the vote.