The three pro-independence parties in Catalonia won the majority of seats in a parliamentary election in the region, setting the stage for another showdown with the central government in Madrid. <br/><br/>With a record-breaking turnout of more than 80 percent, Catalans dealt Spain's Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, a major setback as the secessionist leaders stood poised to return to power in Barcelona, among them former regional President Carles Puigdemont, now in exile in Brussels. <br/><br/>With 99 percent of the ballots counted, the three pro-independence parties had taken 48 percent of the vote, while the unionist parties and a few smaller parties had garnered 52 percent. But the pro-independence parties were set to claim 70 seats in the regional parliament with those numbers, giving them a majority in the 135-seat chamber. The unionists and other parties took 65 seats.<br/><br/>The Catalan election was conducted after Rajoy's central government dissolved the regional parliament as it approved the unilateral declaration of regional independence in October.