Catalonia separatist parties expected to win majority in elections

An exit poll predicts that pro-independence parties in Spain's Catalonia region are likely to win a majority of seats in the regional parliament, but it's unclear whether they would be able to come together to push through a plan to secede from Spain.

The exit poll Sunday night by Catalonia's TV3 channel showed the "Together for Yes" group of secessionists winning 63-66 seats in the 135-member parliament.

That's short of the 68 seats they needed for a majority to push forward their plan to make Catalonia independent from Spain by 2017.

But the radical left pro-independence Popular Unity Candidacy party was projected to win 11 to 13 seats in the parliament. The two parties could join forces after negotiations.

Both have said that such a result would allow them to unilaterally declare independence within 18 months, under a plan that would see the new Catalan authorities approving their own constitution and building institutions like an army, central bank and judicial system.

Polls have closed in Catalonia and votes are being tallied.

The Spanish center-right government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, which has opposed attempts to hold a referendum on secession, has called the breakaway plan "a nonsense" and vowed to block it in court. Spain's constitution does not allow any region to break away.

Markets will also be watching the vote outcome. Spain’s banks, including some based in Barcelona, have warned secession could cause financial turmoil, while the Bank of Spainhas said Catalonia could risk exiting the euro.

Regional government head Artur Mas has said the only way forward for Catalonia is a split from Spain, but many of the 5.5 million voters said on Sunday they did not believe it would become independent.

Some said they had used their ballot as a way to press the Catalan and Spanish authorities to discuss a more favorable tax regime as well as laws that better protect language and culture.

Carmen Marfa, a 65-year-old pensioner from Barcelona who voted for Junts pel Si said she wanted negotiations on those issues to start right after the election.

"Politicians have to roll up their sleeves now, stop their game of chicken and make concessions," she said after casting her ballot.

Jose Luis Bonet, a 43-year-old architect, said the election was highly confusing and gave a bad image of Spain and Catalonia to the world.

Bonet, who voted for the socialist party, said he was not in favor of independence but that the Spanish state should have accepted holding a referendum on the issue.

"This election is shameful. It would have been much better to organize a vote like in Scotland with debates and proper information so that voters can make up their mind," he said.

Wire services