Catalan separatists boost majority in Spain regional election

Catalan separatist parties boosted their parliamentary majority in a regional election on Feb. 14 that was overshadowed by the pandemic and marked by low turnout, more than three years after a failed bid to break away from Spain.

With Spain still grappling with a third wave of coronavirus infections, the vote in the wealthy northeastern region was held under tight restrictions to reduce the risk of contagion.

With 99 percent of the votes counted, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists won the most votes but the three separatist parties together were set to get 74 seats in the 135-seat assembly.

That is up from 70 seats won in the last election in December 2017, just months after Catalonia's failed secession bid which led to the jailing of several separatist leaders.

To reduce the risk of virus transmission in the region, polling stations were set up in spacious venues like food markets, the area around FC Barcelona's football stadium and the bullring in Tarragona.

Voters had to wear face masks, use disinfectant gel provided at polling stations and stand apart while lining up in rainy weather to cast their ballots.

During the last hour of voting, which was reserved for people infected with COVID-19, polling station workers wore gloves, facial screens and white protective gowns.

The Socialists had 33 seats, up from 17 in the last vote when they finished fourth.

Sanchez had hoped the election - Catalonia's fifth in a decade - would end separatist rule in the region which accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy.

He fielded his health minister Salvador Illa as his candidate in the hope that his high profile in the fight against the pandemic would help win votes.

While separatist parties have been...