Pro-independence parties claim their victory in Catalan regional elections gives them a mandate to continue with plans to break away from Spain but opposition parties and the mainstream media noted on Monday that parties opposed to independence took 52 percent of the votes.

Madrid-based newspapers pointed out that most voters backed parties opposed to independence with leading newspaper El Pais' front-page headline proclaiming, "The independents win the election but lose the referendum."

Conservative ABC newspaper wrote "Catalonia does not want to go".