ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq- Leaders of Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework are set to hold a meeting on Monday in a bid to settle the nomination for prime minister after weeks of political wrangling over whether to back Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani for a second term or choose a compromise candidate.

The meeting comes after an earlier session was postponed amid disagreements inside the alliance.

Ali Abdul Amir Jawhi al-Kaabi, a member of the Sudani-led Reconstruction and Development Alliance, told the state-run newspaper al-Sabah that “the delay signaled the end of the compromise-candidate option and a shift toward selecting the nominee of the largest bloc within the alliance.”

Still, some parties within the Framework say differences remain over the shape of the next government, while others are calling for a consensus figure to lead the country through a sensitive political period.

Zahraa al-Sadr, a political bureau member of the National Wisdom (Hikma) Movement, described Monday’s meeting as “pivotal and important,” saying it marks an advanced stage toward deciding the prime minister nominee.

She said the earlier postponement “came at Sudani’s request to clarify whether he would insist on remaining a candidate or support a compromise option.”

“The circulation of names for compromise candidates, followed by denials inside the Dawa Party over withdrawing Nouri al-Maliki’s candidacy, returned the scene to square one,” she told the newspaper.

She said she hoped Monday’s meeting would produce a decisive outcome, “either by voting confidence for Sudani or moving to discuss alternative names.”

The nomination meeting follows continued uncertainty inside Iraq’s Coordination Framework over who will be chosen as its candidate for prime minister.

On Sunday, Husham al-Rikabi, media director for former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Maliki “remains the officially announced candidate for Prime Minister, and he has not been replaced,” rejecting reports that the alliance had moved to another nominee.

His remarks came amid speculation that incumbent prime minister Sudani, who is seeking a second term, could emerge as an alternative candidate.

Rikabi also denied claims that a planned Saturday meeting was delayed because of difficulties contacting Maliki, calling such reports false.

A day earlier, Bahaa al-Araji, the bloc head of the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, said reports that the premiership candidate had already been decided were “completely false.”

Also on Saturday, senior Framework leader Humam Hamoudi said the alliance was “very close” to settling the issue of choosing a prime minister.