91Èȱ¬

Keep in mind that there are hours to go before the official results and the exit poll causing the stir right now was published by one newspaper, Barcelona-based La Vanguardia.

They would need 68 for an absolute majority in the Catalan legislature.

Overall, separatist parties are on course to win an absolute majority in the new Catalan parliament, according to an exit poll quoted by Reuters.

The separatist ERC and unionist Citizens are neck and neck in race to become biggest party in new parliament - exit poll quoted by Reuters.

The count is on...

91Èȱ¬ Producer Natalie Higgins is in Barcelona and has spotted plenty of people with their pets.

Let's gather the exact names and affiliations together.

There are three separatist parties or alliances:

1. Together for Catalonia (JxC), headed by sacked president Carles Puigdemont
2. Social democrat Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), one of Catalonia's oldest parties
3. Far-left, anti-EU Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP)

For the unionists, there are:

1. The governing conservative Popular Party (PP)
2. The liberal Citizens (C's)
3. The Socialists (PSC)

In the middle is the In Common We Can alliance, which focuses on social issues.

The separatist ERC and the unionist Citizens are likely to emerge as the winners on their respective sides of Catalonia's divide.

But who will win the most seats?

Why is there a crisis in Catalonia? The answer lies in the region's long history, as 91Èȱ¬ Europe correspondent Gavin Lee explains

Image source, Getty Images

Oriol Junqueras, who leads the social democratic, pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) party, cast a postal vote last week... from a prison cell.

He was serving as Catalonia’s vice-president when the government was sacked in October, and he was sent to a remand prison, accused of rebellion and sedition.

At the 2015 election, the ERC stood on the same list as Mr Puigdemont's party but this time they are running separately.

Image source, EPA

If you're just joining us, there's less than half an hour to go in this dramatic election, which could shape the future of both Catalonia and Spain as a whole.

We should have some exit poll data then, however it will be hours before the official result emerges.

The issue of independence has been incredibly divisive for many in Catalonia. It's divided workplaces, families and even relationships.

Spanish newspaper El País, known for its strongly unionist stance, detects an increase in voter turnout in traditionally pro-unionist areas.

Laura Sancho, 18, said she wanted her ballot to be thought of as a proxy for Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia's sacked president who fled to Belgium after being sacked, and is unable to vote today.

Image source, EPA

Inés Arrimadas, who leads the centrist Citizens party, has become the standard-bearer for unionism.

Originally from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, where she trained as a lawyer, she moved to the Catalan regional capital Barcelona nearly ten years ago for work reasons.

At the 2015 election, Citizens won 25 seats in the Catalan parliament, making her leader of the main opposition party.

Nobody knows with any certainty but if the separatists win a majority, in the short term attempts will be made to free the sacked leaders of the former Catalan government who remain in prison, and to find a way for those who are outside the region to come back in.

Although the three unionist parties have the central aim of wanting to keep Catalonia as part of Spain, they have rather different ways of doing it, which could make negotiations difficult:

1. Two parties, the conservative Popular Party and the liberal Citizens, would like to maintain the status quo while restoring some powers - over education and healthcare, for instance - to the central government in Madrid
2. The Socialists would like to see greater autonomy for Catalonia within Spain

The questions of greater powers for the region and constitutional reform - to allow for a legal referendum on independence, for example - will almost certainly arise in negotiations between the Spanish government and the incoming Catalan administration.

There's everything to play for in this race and Catalonia is on course for a record showing at the polls.

Image source, Reuters

He may now be in self-imposed exile in Belgium but Carles Puigdemont, the region's sacked president, leads the Together for Catalonia list.

He was president - a post roughly equivalent to first minister - between January 2016 and October 2017.

After Spain decided that the actions of his government to hold a referendum on the region’s independence and unilaterally declare independence were unconstitutional, he and his government were dismissed.

He and several others fled to Belgium, and he could face charges of rebellion and sedition if he returns to Spain.

One of the big stories of this election may be a surge in the turnout.

91Èȱ¬ journalists have been watching the lines outside polling stations.

How do you present the key players in this election? 91Èȱ¬ Europe reporter Gavin Lee explains in a video with the help of some rather colourful figurines.

Catalonia has a host of political parties battling for their share of the 135 seats in the parliament but they can be broken down roughly into separatists, unionists and neutral.

One of the big differences between this election and that of 2015 is that the separatists have abandoned the idea of a united front. Will that help or harm their cause?