Tens of thousands of protesters have taken over central Baghdad to demand a new parliamentary vote, as divisions in government hurt economic growth.

Demonstrators marched from the Baghdad's city center to government headquarters in the capital's heavily-fortified Green Zone. Most demonstrators say they support the powerful Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has pressured the government to carry out reforms.

Iraq's government has made little progress against ISIL militants and  has failed to pull the country out of a major economic crisis. Protests have erupted in cities across the country in recent weeks.