Iraq’s political factions are entering a decisive week of negotiations, with parallel talks among Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish blocs intensifying to break the deadlock over the formation of a new government and the filling of top state positions.

The key meeting is set for Monday within the Shiite Coordination Framework, the largest parliamentary grouping. The session aims to unify its position on a single candidate for the powerful post of prime minister. According to internal sources, the focus will be on narrowing differences to agree on a consensus nominee.

“If a final agreement cannot be reached on one name, three candidates will be put forward for an internal vote, with one ultimately selected through balloting,” a source within the framework revealed.

Incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is widely viewed as the frontrunner. His “Reconstruction and Development” alliance (RDC), which holds 46 seats—the most of any single coalition—has formally endorsed him. However, he has yet to secure full consensus from all factions within the broader Shiite framework, which collectively commands 187 seats in the 329-member parliament.

The selection process has been months in the making, with previous meetings establishing candidate criteria emphasizing administrative competence and integrity. A specialized committee was formed to assess nominees, with a preliminary list reportedly containing between four to nine names.

“Political forces are keen to finalize the prime ministerial nominee before the end of the constitutional timeframe,” a senior framework figure stated, suggesting an official announcement could follow Monday’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Sunni political forces are engaged in their own crucial negotiations to agree on a unified candidate for Speaker of Parliament. Fragmented since the last election, Sunni blocs—led by Taqaddum (Progress) Party with 27 seats—are holding a series of meetings to rally around a consensus figure. The goal is to avoid internal competition and reassert Sunni influence in the legislative branch.

In the Kurdistan Region, a renewed coordination effort is underway between the two dominant parties: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). They are negotiating both the formation of the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet and a joint Kurdish position on the federal presidency of Iraq, a post traditionally held by a Kurdish figure. The KDP, which ran independently, secured 27 seats nationally, receiving over one million votes.

Under Iraq’s political system, an agreement must first be reached on the Speaker of Parliament. Parliament then elects the President, who in turn tasks the prime ministerial nominee with forming the cabinet.

Certified Election Results (Key Blocs):

Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC - Al-Sudani): 46 seats
State of Law Coalition (Nouri al-Maliki): 29 seats
Sadiqoun Bloc (Qais al-Khazali): 28 seats
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP): 27 seats
Taqaddum Party (Mohammed al-Halbousi): 27 seats
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK): 18 seats

Figures are from the final count certified by Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court. Overall sectarian grouping in parliament is: Shiite parties 187 seats, Sunnis 77, Kurds 56, and minorities 9.