BARCELONA DEMANDING INDEPENDENCE FOR CATALONIA

Catalan pro-independence won in parliamentary election Thursday thatpitted them against anti-independence parties, plunging the region into further uncertainty. Here are the key dates in the history of the wealthy region's independence drive:

'WE ARE A NATION'

March 2006: Catalans agree a new autonomy charter, increasing their fiscal and judicial powers and describing Catalonia as a "nation".

Pro-independence leader Carles Puigdemont tweeted

Avui és un dia molt important, no per la Catalunya d'avui sinó per la #Catalunya del futur. I tu Laura representes aquesta albada d'esperança. És el moment que la República dels ciutadans jubili la monarquia del 155 #JuntsxCat #21D pic.twitter.com/5v9Meq0qJE

— Carles Puigdemont 🎗 (@KRLS) December 21, 2017

La #RepúblicaCatalana ha derrotat la monarquia del 155. Ara cal una rectificació, una reparació i una restitució. La recepta que Rajoy va vendre a Europa ha fracassat. Que prenguin nota #JuntsxCat pic.twitter.com/ITzsYVXwZw

— Carles Puigdemont 🎗 (@KRLS) December 21, 2017

June 2010: Spain's Constitutional Court strikes down parts of the charter, in response to an appeal filed by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative Popular Party (PP).

A month later, hundreds of thousands of people protest in Barcelona against the ruling, amid chants of "We are a nation, we decide". 

DEMANDS FOR INDEPENDENCE

September 11, 2012: More than a million people protest in Barcelona demanding independence for Catalonia. Major demonstrations are held in thefollowing years on the same date, marking Catalonia's national day.

November 26, 2012: Mas's centre-right CiU alliance wins the election overall but fails to secure an absolute majority in the regional parliament. 

HUMAN CHAIN

September 11, 2013: Hundreds of thousands of Catalans form a human chain stretching more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) across the Mediterranean coast to push for independence. 

SYMBOLIC VOTE

November 9, 2014: Catalonia defies Madrid and presses ahead with a symbolic vote on independence. Turnout is just 37 percent, of which over 80 percent vote in favour of independence. 

PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY

September 27, 2015: The pro-independence Together For Yes alliance secures 62 seats in the regional assembly and the radical leftwing separatist group CUP wins 10, giving them an absolute majority.

But the separatist block falls short of winning a majority of votes in the election, which is portrayed as a plebiscite on independence, capturing just 47.8 percent of the ballot.

January 10, 2016:  Carles Puigdemont becomes president of Catalonia. 

REFERENDUM DAY

March 2017: Catalan ex-president Mas is found guilty of "disobedience" for staging the 2014 symbolic referendum. He is banned from holding public office for two years.

June 2017: Puigdemont announces a referendum to be held on October 1. Voters are asked: "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent country in the form of a republic?" Spain's central government vows to block the vote.

October 27: The Catalan parliament defies multiple warnings from the central government and unilaterally declares independence from Spain. 

SEPARATISTS BEHIND BARS

November 2017: Puigdemont goes to Belgium, before a Spanish court charges him and other top members of the axed government with sedition and rebellion. His former deputy Oriol Junqueras and other secessionists are remanded in custody pending trial.

December 19: Separatists and pro-unity candidates hold their final campaign rallies, with deposed ex-leader Puigdemont speaking to supporters via videolink from exile.

December 21: Catalan separatists win a crucial snap poll, raising the question of how they will govern, with Puigdemont in exile and Junqueras behind bars.