Iraqis hold little hope for change as they head to the polls

Polls have opened in Iraq for parliamentary elections that are marked by apathy and scepticism despite close geopolitical attention.

Polling started across the country at 7am (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday, in a vote that will be closely watched in Iran and the United States.

The sixth election since the US-led invasion toppled longtime ruler Saddam Hussein in 2003, voting takes place in a relatively stable country.

However, many Iraqis have lost hope that elections can bring meaningful change to their daily lives, feeling that the vote benefits only political elites and regional powers.

Nearly 21 million Iraqis are eligible to vote across 4,501 polling stations nationwide, reported the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

More than 7,750 candidates, nearly a third of them women, are running for 329 se