Catalonia elections: Socialists achieve victory in Catalonia and pro-independence forces will not be able to form a government

In the election campaign leading up to these elections, the issue of Catalonia's relationship with the rest of Spain was pushed to the background due to other challenges, such as drought in the region and the real estate crisis.

Former regional president Carles Puigdemont's hardline Together for Catalonia (JxCat) party came in second place with 35 seats, regaining its position as the main pro-independence force in the region ahead of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC).

But overall, nationalist parties have lost support, meaning they no longer control the regional parliament, a serious blow to the independence movement.

However, pro-independence parties have received significant concessions from the central government in recent years, and are still demanding an independence referendum.

The minority government of the European Reform Party, Pere Aragonés, called early elections after failing to muster enough support to approve the region's annual budget.

Sánchez will see this result as a vindication of his policies in Catalonia, in particular the controversial amnesty law that benefits nationalists facing legal action for separatist activity.

The amnesty, which is nearing its end in the Spanish parliament, has sparked a violent reaction from right-wing opponents.

Illa praised the result as “a new era for Catalonia”. He said that among the factors that allowed this outcome were “the policies implemented by the Spanish government and its Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, to whom I send my appreciation and gratitude.”

The amnesty law was a condition of the parliamentary support provided by JxCat and the ERC to Sánchez upon his inauguration, allowing him to form a new central government last November.

Puigdemont, who fled abroad in 2017 after leading a failed secessionist attempt, is expected to benefit from the amnesty and return to Spain. He campaigned before this election from the south of France.

Despite the Socialist victory, it will not be easy for Illa to form a government, as he will likely need the support of the Socialist Reform Party and the far-left Kumaon-Somar coalition.