Followers of Iraqi Shiite cleric storm government palace

Supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr try to remove concrete barriers in the Green Zone area of Baghdad, Iraq (Hadi Mizban/AP)

A hugely influential Shiite cleric announced he would resign from Iraqi politics and his angry followers stormed the government palace in response, sparking fears that violence could erupt in a country already beset by its worst political crisis in years.

Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October parliamentary elections but not enough to secure a majority government.