BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government announced a midnight-to-dawn curfew in Baghdad on Monday, as it struggled to contain growing antigovernment protests that have gained support around the country, including from a leading Shiite cleric who has called for early elections.

Iraq’s Parliament met for the first time since the protests restarted — over corruption, unemployment and official accountability — and its first act was to dissolve provincial councils that have been widely criticized as corrupt. Lawmakers also pledged to reduce the salaries of high-ranking officials, including of members of Parliament themselves.

It was not clear, however, how much the public was paying attention to anything the government was doing or saying. Despite considerable efforts to repel the protesters — including with pepper spray, tear gas and sound bombs — they have persisted for days, and now seem to be growing and attracting people from more walks of life.

On Monday, the demonstrators in Baghdad included university students, professionals and government employees, as well as large numbers of unemployed people. The demonstrators called for ousting the politicians who run Iraq, many of whom they accuse of having ties to Iran, and changing Iraq’s system of government, which they see as corrupt and unrepresentative.