Polls suggest Catalonia is set for a hung parliament, with the pro-independence Catalan Republican Left party (ERC) vying for first place with the unionist, centre-right Citizens party. Tensions remain high in the region following the referendum and the Spanish police’s heavy-handed efforts to stop it. Secessionists believe that Madrid’s imposition of direct rule and the jailing of senior independence leaders could increase support for their cause. The exceptional circumstances surrounding the election are compounded by the fact that Puigdemont has been campaigning from Belgium. “This is not a normal election,” Puigdemont told supporters via video link on Tuesday evening as the campaign drew to a close.

Source: The Guardian December 21, 2017 05:00 UTC