Iraq's main Shia forces are facing increasing difficulties in reaching a consensus on a candidate to form the government before the constitutional deadline expires, amid escalating political and parliamentary pressures. The capital Baghdad witnessed intensive contacts between leaders of the Coordination Framework alliance to decide on the candidate for the premiership, yet internal disputes have prevented a final agreement so far. Current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and Basim al-Badri have close chances of obtaining the nomination, under the Framework's voting mechanism that gives each leader an equal vote. In parallel with the political stalemate, estimates indicate increasing American pressures including financial and security restrictions related to dollar transfers and security coordination between Baghdad and Washington. Bahaa al-Aaraji, a leader in the Construction and Development Coalition, said there is no clear American veto on al-Sudani's nomination, and that presenting Ihsan al-Awadi's name as an alternative candidate came within an attempt to bring viewpoints closer within the Coordination Framework.