BARCELONA: Separatist parties were on track on Sunday to jointly win enough seats to strengthen their majority in Catalonia’s regional parliament, according to preliminary results with over 80% of the votes counted.
But the Socialists, the ruling party in Spain’s national parliament, led in the popular vote in the Spanish region’s parliamentary election, with 23.4% of the ballots and 33 seats.
Even if final results confirm the outcome, it is unlikely to lead to any repeat of the chaotic, short-lived declaration of independence from Spain that took place in 2017.
Tensions have ebbed and most voters were more concerned about the coronavirus pandemic than independence.
The most likely scenario would be that the two main separatist parties extend their coalition government.
The Socialists said, however, they would try to form a government if their advantage in votes holds, seeking an agreement with far-left anti-independence En Comu Podem. To do so, they would need an unlikely…