Iraqi MPs approved Haidar al-Abadi's proposed cabinet today, making him the new premier, but key security posts remain unfilled even as the country battles to regain ground from militants.
Abadi has asked for a week to fill the missing posts, including interior and defence, during which time he will run the ministries in an acting capacity.
The previous Iraqi government also began with various posts unfilled, and acting ministers served for the next four years.
Iraq has been under heavy international pressure to approve a broad-based government to unite the various communities against a sweeping offensive led by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group that has overrun swathes of Iraq since June.
The outgoing government has faced criticism that by alienating the Sunni Arab minority, it helped create conditions that revitalised Sunni militants including IS.
