Catalans vote in election that offers new chance to exiled separatist leader

But whoever wins will probably have to govern with alliances since no party looks likely to reach the 68-seat threshold for a majority on its own, meaning Sunday's vote could herald the start of coalition talks lasting well beyond the election. Junts' candidate is Carles Puigdemont, who was Catalonia's president during the ill-fated attempt to wrest the region from Spain in 2017 before he fled to self-imposed exile in Belgium.