STORY: Spain's Socialists won the biggest share of the vote in Sunday's (May 12) Catalan elections, marking a significant setback for the long-standing separatist leadership and their aspirations for independence.

The Socialists, led locally by Salvador Illa, secured 42 seats out of 135 after more than 99% of the votes were tallied.

Speaking as the voting count concluded, Illa hailed a new era for the region:

"Catalonia today has decided to start up, to function with respect, courtesy and counting on everyone and also with ambition. With ambition to once again lead Spain economically."

Meanwhile, the hardline separatist party Junts came in second place with 35 seats, and the incumbent more moderate separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya or the ERC had 20 seats.

Junts's Carles Puigdemont said there was a lack of collective strategy amongst pro-independence parties:

"This fact forces a long-delayed reflection within the independence movement on the effects of disunity and also the effects of a lack of a shared strategy (ed's note: referring to pro-independence parties). Both issues have long been denounced from within our political formation."

Spain's largest opposition also had a good night, seeing the biggest increase from three seats to 15 on Sunday.

Turnout for the vote was notably low at 58%.

The outcome poses a significant threat to separatist governance in Catalonia, particularly after the region's controversial actions in 2017 with an illegal independence referendum and declaration of independence.

It created Spain's most severe institutional crisis in over three decades.

Sunday's vote also represents a vindication of Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's bid to mend relations with Catalonia Including granting pardons for those who were convicted over the independence movement.

While the combined separatist parties lack the required 68 seats to form a coalition government, Illa's Socialists will likely need to negotiate an arrangement, probably with the ERC party.

Separatist parties until now have rejected any suggestion of helping the national ruling party govern in Catalonia.