Catalan leader claims win for pro-secession parties
Catalonia leader Artur Mas has claimed victory in a parliamentary election for pro-secession parties pushing for independence from Spain.
Mas said Sunday that "we won," adding that "there are two victories tonight, one for 'Yes' and another for democracy."
An exit poll, commissioned by Catalonia's TV3 channel, showed the "Together for Yes" group of secessionists winning 63-66 seats in the 135-member parliament. That's short of the 68 seats they needed for a majority to push forward their plan to make Catalonia independent from Spain by 2017.
With 91 percent of the vote counted, "Yes" is projected to win 62 seats while the radical Popular Unity Candidacy Party was headed for 10 seats, meaning a majority.
Mas spoke to a jubilant crowd, who interrupted him with cheers and chants for "independence!"
