Pro-independence parties have won an absolute majority in elections in the Spanish region of Catalonia, dealing a blow to the Spanish government under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
The election was called after Madrid sacked the Catalan government and arrested many secessionist leaders, after they tried to declare independence following a disputed referendum in October.
Independence supporters gathered to celebrate the results Thursday night, as it became clear that the three pro-secessionist parties kept their overall majority by two seats.
Prime Minister Rajoy had called on Catalan voters to restore political normality. Instead, they overwhelmingly rejected his Popular Party, which lost eight of its 11 seats.
主张独立的政党在西班牙加泰罗尼亚地区的选举中赢得占绝对多数的席位，给拉霍伊首相的政府一个重大打击。
这次选举前，马德里政府解散了加泰罗尼亚地区政府，逮捕了很多主张从西班牙独立的政界领袖。今年10月举行了有争议的独立全民公决之后，这些政界人士试图宣布加泰罗尼亚独立。
随着星期四晚上的投票结果看来主张独立的政党能获得多两个席位的多数之后，支持独立的人士开始举行庆祝选举胜利的集会。
拉霍伊首相呼吁加泰罗尼亚选民恢复政治稳定。然而，大多数选民都没有把票投给人民党。人民党从原来占有的11席减少到3席。