Factions within Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework are increasingly moving away from the idea of a “consensus candidate” to resolve the ongoing deadlock over the nomination of a new prime minister, with some leaders now considering incumbent caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani for the position.

The shift comes ahead of a long-delayed meeting scheduled for Monday, which is expected to play a decisive role in determining the alliance’s nominee.

According to Ali Abdulamir al-Kaabi, a member of Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition, the repeated postponement of previous meetings signals the apparent collapse of efforts to agree on a single compromise candidate. Speaking to the state-run newspaper Al-Sabah Newspaper, Kaabi said discussions are now moving toward selecting a nominee from the largest bloc within the Coordination Framework.

Sudani’s coalition secured 46 seats in Iraq’s 329-member parliament during the November elections, making it the largest bloc in the legislature.

However, the political dispute intensified in January when the Coordination Framework nominated former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki for the post. The nomination drew sharp criticism from Donald Trump, who described Maliki as a “very bad choice” and warned that Washington would “no longer help Iraq” if he were appointed.

Maliki rejected the comments as “blatant American interference” and refused to withdraw his candidacy, a stance that has reportedly deepened divisions within the Shiite alliance.

Amid the growing disagreement, some political figures have revived the idea of a compromise candidate. Among the names being discussed is Bassem al-Badri, head of the Accountability and Justice Commission and a member of Maliki’s State of Law Coalition.

Meanwhile, Zahra al-Sadr, a member of the political bureau of the Hikma Movement, said the consensus option has not been completely ruled out, noting that Maliki has yet to formally withdraw from the race. She described Monday’s meeting as “pivotal and important,” adding that it was convened at Sudani’s request.

Last week, Iraq’s parliament elected Nizar Amedi, the nominee of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, as the country’s president. Under the Iraqi constitution, the president has up to 15 days after taking office to task the largest parliamentary bloc—currently the Coordination Framework—with forming a new government.

The alliance therefore has just six days, until next Sunday, to agree on its nominee for prime minister.

According to a member of the political bureau of the Badr Organization, Maliki’s potential withdrawal from the race could depend on reaching an agreement to exclude former prime ministers from contention while allowing him to nominate a successor. Reports indicate he has proposed Bassem al-Badri as a possible compromise candidate.