Nationalist parties on course to win, show exit polls

Exit polls in the Spanish region of Catalonia suggest pro-independence parties have won yesterday's elections.

The main separatist alliance "Junts per Si" (Together for Yes) is set to win 63-66 of the 135 seats, according to the poll for local broadcaster TV3.

The far-left separatist CUP looks set to secure 11-13 seats, the poll said.

Before the vote, "Junts per Si" and the CUP said a majority would allow them to declare independence from Spain unilaterally within 18 months.

The central government in Madrid has pledged to block such moves in court.

The pro-independence parties have said they consider yesterday's vote a de facto referendum on independence from Spain.

They argue that the Spanish government has consistently refused to allow a legally recognised referendum to take place, ignoring an unofficial vote backing independence in November 2014.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of Catalans favour a referendum on independence but are evenly divided over whether they want to secede.

Polling stations in the wealthy north-eastern province opened at 07:00 GMT and closed at 18:00 GMT.

More than five million people were eligible to vote.

The ruling Convergencia party of Catalan leader Artur Mas and the Esquerra Republicana party put up a single list of candidates under the "Together for Yes" banner.

The anti-independence vote in Catalonia is split between a number of groups, including Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Popular Party.

The centre-right government in Madrid has described any breakaway plans as "a nonsense".

Rajoy argues that the democratic approach would be for all of the country to vote in a referendum on Catalonia's future because the loss of Catalonia would affect all of Spain.