The Liberals and Nationals are preparing to spend their first parliamentary sitting week apart, as One Nation's soaring popularity has the former coalition partners debating their political future.
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HOW DID WE GET HERE?
* In mid-January, staunch political allies the Liberals and Nationals decided to ditch their partnership because of a dispute over new hate-crime laws
* Liberal leader Sussan Ley has reached out to her counterpart David Littleproud for reunion talks, but that meeting is yet to take place
* Mr Littleproud is facing a leadership challenge on Monday afternoon from rogue MP Colin Boyce
* While Mr Littleproud is expected to emerge unscathed, he says he won't meet Ms Ley until after the vote
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
* Parliament resumes on Tuesday, and the two former partners will sit separately in the House of Representatives and Senate
* Senior figures on both sides are pushing for a speedy reunion, conceding they're unlikely to be an effective opposition while the break-up persists
* Ms Ley has temporarily given her own frontbenchers the portfolios previously held by the Nationals
* She says she will permanently appoint new shadow ministers on February 9 - a move that would likely cement the split for some time
WHAT ABOUT THE LIBERAL LEADERSHIP?
* Ms Ley is staring down a challenge of her own, although no one has called for a vote
* Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor, a conservative from NSW, is widely expected to challenge Ms Ley soon
* A dire RedBridge/Accent Research poll, showing Pauline Hanson's One Nation overtaking the Liberals and Nationals, is causing concern among some Liberal insiders
* While the situation is fluid, a Liberal leadership spill could come as soon as late this week or early next week
Australian Associated Press
