Spain’s Socialists won the biggest share of the vote in Sunday’s Catalan elections, dealing a serious blow to more than a decade of separatist governance and the independence dreams still nursed by some in the wealthy northeastern region.

The Socialists, led locally by Salvador Illa, had 42 seats in Catalonia's 135-seat chamber with more than 99% of the vote counted, while its habitual coalition partner, far-left Sumar, won six. Junts had 35 seats, and ERC had 20.

Editorial: A bad night for pro-independence parties, and a very good one for the Socialists, has vindicated Pedro Sánchez’s conciliatory strategy