A split parliament reflecting a tricky political landscape in Spain held its first session on Wednesday (Jan. 13).<br /><br /> It was the first time Spain’s lower house of parliament reconvened since last month’s inconclusive general election.<br /><br /> Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy lost his absolute majority in the vote, which brought two new parties — the leftist Podemos and the liberal Ciudadanos — into the house.<br /><br /> And for the first time in 40 years of Spanish democracy, the house’s speaker does not come from the party with the most votes. Instead lawmakers chose a Socialist, Patxi Lopez.<br /><br /> It’s the first deal reached by rival parties still locked in talks to form a government.<br /><br /> Spain has elected a new speaker Congreso_Es patxilopez Now if only forming a government would be quite so easy pic.twitter.com/pbWrNMk3dE— Fiona Govan (@fifimadrid) January 13, 2016<br /><br /> Rajoy has called for a broad coalition between his People’s Party (PP), the Socialists (PSOE) and Ciudadanos.<br /><br /> Rajoy, who will ask fo