Will a weakened Trudeau be able to survive looming RCMP investigations?
Despite losing the popular vote, Justin Trudeau is likely to retain his position as Prime Minister of Canada, though his Parliamentary caucus has been reduced to 155 seats in the House of Commons, short of the 170 seats needed to form a government.
Trudeau is likely to engage in talks this week with Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democrats, which has won 25 ridings; and Francois-Yves Blanchet, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, which has won 32 ridings.
Trudeau will need the support of at least one of those leaders to form a government.
In Canada, minority governments survive for fewer than two-and-half years.
But Trudeau's government is the target of an ongoing investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which has been conducting ongoing investigations into the PMO, which were put on hold just prior to the election being called. Political operatives expect charges for obstruction of justice to be brought against Trudeau in the coming weeks - and without majority control of the House, he will be unable to shutdown the oversight functions of either the Justice Committee or the Ethics Committee.