File: Catalans link arms in a bid to create a 400-kilometre (250-mile) human chain, part of a campaign for independence from Spain during Catalonia National Day, on September 11, 2013.

Separatist parties won an absolute majority of seats in Catalonia’s regional parliament on Sunday, deepening a standoff with Spain’s central government over independence.

The main secessionist group “Junts pel Si” (Together for Yes) won 62 seats in the 135-strong assembly in Spain’s wealthy northeastern region, while smaller leftist party CUP won another 10 seats, official results showed.

They jointly won 47.33 percent of the vote.

Both secessionist parties have said that they will unilaterally declare independence within 18 months, something the central government in Madrid says it will block in court because the Spanish constitution does not allow it.