<p>Thousands of protesters blocked roads and bridges across southern Iraq on Monday, condemning Iranian influence and political leaders who missed another deadline to agree on a new prime minister.</p>.<p>Anti-government demonstrators burned tyres in major cities across the south, forcing the closure of schools and government buildings, AFP correspondents reported as political paralysis deepened in Baghdad.</p>.<p>Negotiations over a candidate to replace premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, who quit in November in the face of protests against corruption and unemployment, remained deadlocked as a midnight Sunday deadline expired.</p>.<p>While a pro-Iran camp has tried to impose a candidate, Iraqi President Barham Saleh has reportedly put up resistance.</p>.<p>Demonstrators announced civil disobedience campaigns in the southern cities of Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Hilla, Kut and Amara, closing public buildings and blocking roads "on orders of the people".</p>.<p>"We are upping our actions because we oppose any candidate from the political class that has been robbing us since 2003," said Ali al-Diwani, a young protester in Diwaniyah.</p>.<p>For Iraqis protesting since October 1, the system installed by the United States after it led a military coalition to overthrow dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 has become dominated by Iran and is beyond reform.</p>.<p>An economic revival promised for 16 years never came, protesters say, while more than half of all oil revenues were siphoned off by crooked politicians and their cronies.</p>.<p>Rallies have continued despite a campaign of intimidation that has included targeted killings and abductions of activists, which the United Nations blames on militias.</p>.<p>While renewed protests risk a resumption of the violence that has already caused some 460 deaths and 25,000 injuries since October, the government remains paralysed.</p>.<p>Officials say Iran wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as a higher education minister in the government of Abdul Mahdi.</p>.<p>A former key member of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr's movement, Suhail rejoined the State of Law Alliance of former premier Nuri al-Maliki, who is close to Iran and an enemy of Sadr.</p>.<p>While pro-Iran factions and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi are pushing for Suhail, a source in the presidency says Saleh has vetoed his proposed appointment.</p>.<p>Demonstrators categorically reject Suhail's candidacy and that of anyone from the wider political establishment.</p>.<p>"What we want is simple: a prime minister who is competent and independent, who has never been involved with the ruling parties since 2003," said Mohammed Rahman, a protesting engineer in Diwaniyah.</p>.<p>Protesters say an overhaul of the political system must start with electoral reform. Since 2003, a complicated mix of proportional representation and candidate lists has favoured major parties and the heads of those lists.</p>.<p>Protesters say they want a first-past-the-post system to "guarantee a new generation could enter politics to clean up everything the ruling parties have corrupted," Rahman told AFP.</p>.<p>Parliament has recently discussed electoral reform and was scheduled to resume talks Monday afternoon.</p>.<p>Lawmakers were also likely to continue negotiations to appoint a premier, the deadline for which had already been pushed back twice by Saleh before Sunday's expired.</p>
<p>Thousands of protesters blocked roads and bridges across southern Iraq on Monday, condemning Iranian influence and political leaders who missed another deadline to agree on a new prime minister.</p>.<p>Anti-government demonstrators burned tyres in major cities across the south, forcing the closure of schools and government buildings, AFP correspondents reported as political paralysis deepened in Baghdad.</p>.<p>Negotiations over a candidate to replace premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, who quit in November in the face of protests against corruption and unemployment, remained deadlocked as a midnight Sunday deadline expired.</p>.<p>While a pro-Iran camp has tried to impose a candidate, Iraqi President Barham Saleh has reportedly put up resistance.</p>.<p>Demonstrators announced civil disobedience campaigns in the southern cities of Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Hilla, Kut and Amara, closing public buildings and blocking roads "on orders of the people".</p>.<p>"We are upping our actions because we oppose any candidate from the political class that has been robbing us since 2003," said Ali al-Diwani, a young protester in Diwaniyah.</p>.<p>For Iraqis protesting since October 1, the system installed by the United States after it led a military coalition to overthrow dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 has become dominated by Iran and is beyond reform.</p>.<p>An economic revival promised for 16 years never came, protesters say, while more than half of all oil revenues were siphoned off by crooked politicians and their cronies.</p>.<p>Rallies have continued despite a campaign of intimidation that has included targeted killings and abductions of activists, which the United Nations blames on militias.</p>.<p>While renewed protests risk a resumption of the violence that has already caused some 460 deaths and 25,000 injuries since October, the government remains paralysed.</p>.<p>Officials say Iran wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as a higher education minister in the government of Abdul Mahdi.</p>.<p>A former key member of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr's movement, Suhail rejoined the State of Law Alliance of former premier Nuri al-Maliki, who is close to Iran and an enemy of Sadr.</p>.<p>While pro-Iran factions and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi are pushing for Suhail, a source in the presidency says Saleh has vetoed his proposed appointment.</p>.<p>Demonstrators categorically reject Suhail's candidacy and that of anyone from the wider political establishment.</p>.<p>"What we want is simple: a prime minister who is competent and independent, who has never been involved with the ruling parties since 2003," said Mohammed Rahman, a protesting engineer in Diwaniyah.</p>.<p>Protesters say an overhaul of the political system must start with electoral reform. Since 2003, a complicated mix of proportional representation and candidate lists has favoured major parties and the heads of those lists.</p>.<p>Protesters say they want a first-past-the-post system to "guarantee a new generation could enter politics to clean up everything the ruling parties have corrupted," Rahman told AFP.</p>.<p>Parliament has recently discussed electoral reform and was scheduled to resume talks Monday afternoon.</p>.<p>Lawmakers were also likely to continue negotiations to appoint a premier, the deadline for which had already been pushed back twice by Saleh before Sunday's expired.</p>