Iraq's parliament voted on Sunday to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, following weeks of violent anti-government protests that have rocked the country.

Abdul Mahdi's decision to quit on Friday came after a call by Iraq's top Shia Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for parliament to consider withdrawing its support for Abdul Mahdi's government to stem the violence. "The Iraqi parliament will ask the president of state to nominate a new prime minister," a statement from parliament's media office said.

Lawmakers said Abdul Mahdi's government, including the prime minister himself, would stay on in a caretaker capacity following Sunday's vote until a new government was chosen. Under the constitution, President Barham Salih is expected to ask the largest bloc in parliament to nominate a new prime minister to form a government.