(CNN) Polls have closed in the Spanish region of Catalonia, in an election seen as a litmus test of the separatist movement's legitimacy after it attempted to break away from Spain. Oriol Junqueras -- the president and head candidate of the main pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia -- has run his campaign from prison in Madrid. Carles Puigdemont, who led Catalonia until Madrid fired him , faces the same charges but fled to Brussels to campaign from afar. He leads the Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) faction and claims he is still the region's legitimate leader. "The situation will calm down and the independence movement will accept its defeat.

Source: CNN December 21, 2017 06:33 UTC