Catalonia's deposed President has said a de facto vote on independence is a chance for the region to "return to normality."

Carles Puigdemont said: ​"It's not normal, an election that takes place with candidates in prison and candidates in exile."

He went on to refer to his own situation in Brussels, where he is evading a Spanish arrest warrant, as an imposed absence.

Voters in Catalonia face a momentous choice in the elections for their regional parliament: either support political parties determined to keep up the pressure to turn their region into Europe's newest country, or opt for those who want it to stay as part of Spain.

Inside Catalonia's pro-independence movement

The pivotal election is aimed at breaking the bitter deadlock over the issue of secession. But neither side is likely to win a clear majority in the new regional parliament, setting up the scenario of long and challenging negotiations to form a new Catalan government.

Opinion polls have shown fugitive and jailed separatist candidates neck-and-neck in opinion polls with unionists, who claim to be in the best position to return Catalonia to stability and growth.

But with a record turnout expected, the outcome could hinge on the more than one-fifth who are undecided among Catalonia's 5.5 million eligible voters.

Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Demonstrators block a highway during a general strike in Borrassa, near Girona, Catalonia AP Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Protesters block a track in in Sant Cugat del Valles EPA Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Catalan regional policemen (Mossos d'Esquadra) drag a picketer blocking the street at the North Bus Station in Barcelona as part of a regionwide strike called by a pro-independence union AFP/Getty Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Catalan regional policemen (Mossos d'Esquadra) drag a picketer blocking the street at the North Bus Station in Barcelona AFP/Getty Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Protesters block a road in Barcelona EPA Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures A person paints the word "Freedom" on a wall as protesters blocked a ring road in Barcelona during a partial regional strike called by pro-independence parties and labour unions Reuters Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Police remove a protestor who was part of a group blocking a ring road Reuters Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures A driver argues with demonstrators blocking a highway during the general strike in Barcelona AP Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Police remove protestors blocking a ring road in Barcelona Reuters Catalonia civil disobedience on 8 August – in pictures Demonstrators get ready to block a highway during the general strike in Barcelona AP

Weeks of campaigning involved little debate about regional policy on issues such as public education, health or housing.

At the heart of the battle instead was the sensational recent independence push that led to Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sacked Catalonia's previous government for holding the referendum and declaring independence.

He then called the vote in the hopes of returning Catalonia to "normality" under a unionist government, or failing that a separatist government acting within the Spanish and regional laws and not seeking a unilateral split.

A new separatist majority might further dampen investors' confidence in Catalonia, which by itself has an economy larger than that of Portugal and is a key driver of Spain's economic growth.

However, separatist leaders - who have campaigned while Spanish courts investigate them on allegations of rebellion for their roles in the 1 October referendum - have recently backed away from demands for unilateral secession.

The independence campaign pitched Spain into its worst political turmoil since the collapse of fascist rule and return of democracy in the 1970s. It has polarised public opinion, dented Spain's economic rebound and prompted a business exodus from Catalonia to other parts of the country.