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MADRID (Reuters) - The regional parliament of Catalonia on Friday voted a motion to begin a “constituent process” to split from Spain shortly before beginning a secret vote on whether or not to declare independence from the rest of the country.

Lawmakers from the Socialist Party, the People’s Party (PP) and Ciudadanos left the chamber before the vote in protest, leaving just the pro-independence groups Junts pel Si, CUP and the Podemos-associated Catalunya Si Que Es Pot to cast a ballot.