Ciudadanos wins election while pro-independence parties retain their majority.

Pro-unionist centre right party Ciudadanos obtains 1.1 million vote and becames the first party in the Catalan parliament, with 37 seats. It is the first time that a constitutionalist party wins in votes and seats in a Catalan regional election.

However, secessionist parties were able to retain their majority in the chamber, gaining 70 of the 135 seats. Former President Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium to avoid being trialled by Spanish justice, managed to get 34 seats and 21.7% of the vote for his coallition Together for Catalonia. Former vicepresident Oriol Junqueras, who unlike Puigdemont remained in Spain and was imprisoned, obtained 21.4% of votes and 32 seats. The radical-left party CUP earned 4.5% of votes and four seats. 

The election was a huge disappointment for Spanish government party PP, who lost 8 of their seats at the Catalan parliament and went from 11 to 3 representatives. PSC, Catalan branch of Spanish Socialist Party will have 17 members of the new parliament, while left party Catalunya en Comú has obtained 8 seats.

Having attracted a record turnout of more than 80%, the election shows once again a clear division in Catalan society, with Spanish pro-union parties winning clearly in urban Catalonia -Ciudadanos was the first party in the 10 biggest cities of the country- and secessionist parties obtaining great majorities in rural areas. 

Now, former president Puigdemont has to decide whether he comes back to Spain -where he risks being imprisoned- or remains at Belgium, and gives up on the possibility of being re-elected.