Joe Duggan (Reporter)
THE first session of the new Spanish Congress has opened today.
On Tuesday evening, a pact between Ciudadanos and the Socialist PSOE made the veteran socialist Patxi Lopez the new speaker.
He is the first speaker in Spain’s democractic history who is not a member of the party with the most votes folllowing December’s general election.
Podemos did not join the pact to vote Lopez in as its request to have four separate entities representing its affiliated offshoots in Valencia, Galicia and Catalunya was denied.
A deal to choose a new Prime Minister has yet to be agreed by the parties.
First move in the stitch-up.