Bickering Boston city councilors are already jockeying for the next president’s race, with rising star Ruthzee Louijeune emerging as one of the top favorites to lead the famously feuding council.

Louijeune is expected to compete for the presidency with at-large Councilor Julia Mejia, who is more on the far left and is also angling for the top spot, sources said. District 4 Councilor Brian Worrell also might be a potential candidate.

Current Council President Ed Flynn – the target of sniping from his fellow councilors – is prohibited by term limits from running again in January, but he could cast a key vote in determining the next leader.

It’s unclear if Mayor Michelle Wu might try to tip the race by throwing her weight behind someone.

A lot will depend on the outcome of this year’s council election. All 13 councilors will be on the ballot for the September preliminary contest, and the top vote-getters will hold more clout.

The top two vote-getters in each district will face off and the top eight in the at-large race will be on the November ballot for four spots.

The council presidency is highly coveted because the person holding that office becomes acting mayor in case of any vacancy – which has happened several times over the last few decades.

Louijeune was just elected in 2022, finishing third in the at-large race and getting more votes than any other non-incumbent in the field. But she has emerged as a fast-moving leader of the body in less than two years.

Louijeune describes herself in her council bio as a “grounded, thoughtful and inclusive leader.”

“Thoughtful” and “grounded” are not two words the public usually associates with the Boston city council.

Louijeune is seen as more of a moderate who can possibly corral the out-of-control council, which has been hampered by bitter infighting and division. She is a lawyer and the first Haitian American to serve on the council and was a key figure in passing a new redistricting map, which had been bogged down in fierce debate and legal roadblocks.

Louijeune herself has been the target of criticism from some councilors who didn’t like the redistricting map she proposed and that eventually passed.

“I respect your legal eagle status, but it’s not a matter of just cause you’re a woman of color we’re all gonna fall in line,” Mejia told Louijeune.

Several councilors this year have been embroiled in legal and ethical scandals, most notably Councilor Kendra Lara, who has been charged with traffic and motor vehicle offenses in a crash where she slammed her car into a Jamaica Plain house.

There have also been angry outbursts in council meetings among feuding members, and a near fight broke out after one meeting. Flynn has lobbed criticism at some councilors and has also been on the receiving end recently of attacks from his colleagues.

Louijeune gently chided some of her fellow councilors for the “very disappointing” headlines they were generating in a televised interview recently.

“Voters and residents deserve elected officials that serve with integrity and can trust their decision-making,” she said on the “On the Record” talk show.

A spokeswoman for Louijeune said she would not be making any comment on the battle for president and would not say whether she is considering becoming a candidate.

But it’s widely believed inside Boston City Hall that she will be a candidate for president and is in fact already quietly lobbying for support.