Catalonia has taken the first step toward becoming a new nation in the EU

What does the result of the Catalan elections on 27 September mean for the future of Catalonia and Spain? Montserrat Guibernau argues that the election result grants the legitimacy required for pro-independence parties to bring about a legally binding referendum on Catalan independence. Nevertheless she writes that the independence movement will face a number of challenges in implementing their roadmap for secession from Spain, including the need to maintain unity between pro-independence parties and the rise of Ciudadanos.