Pro-independence parties pushing for Catalonia to break away and form a new Mediterranean nation have won a landmark vote by capturing a regional Spanish parliamentary majority – setting up a possible showdown with the government in Madrid.

Voters in Catalonia participated in an election yesterday that could propel the northeastern region toward independence from the rest of Spain or quell secessionism for years.

Voters in the economically powerful region of Catalonia have punished the leader who made a referendum over breaking away from Spain a central plank of his campaign, seeing his party’s majority reduced by a dozen seats.