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The French Constitution of 1852 was enacted on January 14, 1852 by Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (Napoleon III). Slightly modified later that year, on December 25, 1852 the constitution became the basis for the creation of the French Second Empire. Napoléon III, Emperor of the French (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 – 9 January 1873) was President of France from 1849 to 1852, and then Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. ...
The Second French Empire or Second Empire was the imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France. ...
Adoption Louis Napoléon brought an end to the Second French Republic by the coup d'état of December 2, 1851. The same day, he had posters issued that proclaimed to the French people (Appel au peuple) his desire to restore the "system created by the First Consul". The French Second Republic (often simply Second Republic) was the republican regime of France from February 25, 1848 to December 2, 1852. ...
The Coup dÉtat of 2 December 1851 was the coup détat staged by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, President of the French Republic, who was successful by this means in dissolving the French National Assembly without having the constitutional right to do so. ...
A title used by Napoleon Bonaparte following his seizure of power in France. ...
His coup was ratified by plebiscite on December 22 and 23, 1851. Backed by this strong success, he encouraged counsellors Rouher, Baroche et Troplong to quickly write the new constitution which was enacted on January 14, 1852. A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...
The constitution was modified by the French Senate (by a "senatus-consulte") on November 7, 1852 to permit the re-establishing of the title of "Emperor" which was granted to Louis Napoléon. The Second Empire was proclaimed on December 2, 1852 and the Imperial Constitution was enacted on December 25, 1852, without any significant change to the January 14th constitution.
The Prince-President The constitution rejected the Ancien Régime and the post-revolutionary restoration monarchies with census suffrage. It referred directly to the French Revolution – saying that it "recognizes, confirms and guarantees the principles proclaimed in 1789" – and especially to the First French Empire. For detailed information on the administrative, social and political system of Early Modern France, see Ancien Régime in France. ...
Suffrage is the civil right to vote, or the exercise of that right. ...
The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a pivotal period in the history of French, European and Western civilization. ...
The First French Empire, commonly known as the French Empire or the Napoleonic Empire, covers the period of the domination of France and much of continental Europe by Napoleon I of France. ...
Louis Napoléon was persuaded that democracy needed to be incarnated in a man, and the Constitution of 1851 was a return to the democratic Caesarism of his uncle Napoléon Bonaparte. The regime was characterized by a strong personal power backed by universal suffrage; the French people remained "sovereign", and in this way the Second Empire was different from the earlier constituional monarchies. The Decline of the West (German: Der Untergang des Abendlandes) is a two-volume work by Oswald Spengler, the first volume of which was published in the summer of 1918. ...
Bonaparte as general Napoléon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur...
Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of suffrage to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, or social status. ...
Division of powers
Personal government The Government of the Republic was given over to Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte for 10 years, and executive and legislative powers were concentrated in his hands.
The Emperor held the classic powers of a chief of state: commander of the army, clemency, amnesty, the ability to enact and sign treaties. He also maintained the powers of a head of government: appointing and revokin governmental ministers and dissolving the Legislative Body.
He was assisted by the Counsel of State (Conseil d'État) which he controlled and presided, and whose job it was to write and support legislation. In France, the Conseil dÉtat (English: Council of State and sometimes Counsel of State) is an organ of the French national government. ...
Under Article 4 of the constitution, he also had extended legislative powers, including the ability to sign or to veto any legislation or senate decree ("senatus-consulte").
Weakened assemblies The two French parliamentary assemblies were highly controlled and had limited powers. The Parlement of France is bicameral, and consists of the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) and the Senate (Sénat). ...
The Corps législatif, or Legislative Body (the same name had been used for the Lower house of the French Parliament from 1799-1814), comprised 260 deputies (representatives) elected for 6 years by direct universal suffrage, but gerrymandering of the election districts ("circonscriptions") and the system of "official candidates" favored partsans of the Empire. The Legislative Body could neither amend laws, censure the actions of ministers, and had no legislative autonomy, as its president and its rules were designated by the government. The Corps législatif was a part of the French legislature during the French Revolution and beyond. ...
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. ...
Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of suffrage to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, or social status. ...
Gerrymandering is a controversial form of redistricting in which electoral district or constituency boundaries are manipulated for an electoral advantage. ...
The French Senate was composed of from 80 to 150 members appointed for life by the Emperor. It had the right to issue decrees, the senatus-consulte, to modify institutions and to verify the constitutionality of laws. The Senate amphitheater in the Luxembourg Palace The Senate (in French :le Sénat) is the upper house of the Parliament of France. ...
Evolution towards a parliamentary regime Over time, various decrees and the "senatus-consulte" modified the constitution and progressively increased the power of the assemblies. In 1860, Napoleon III permitted the Senate and Legislative Body to once again have the right air their opinions and grievances on the acts of the government. In 1861, the Legislative Body began to publish its debates; in 1867 it gained the power to direct questions to the government; in 1869, it gained the power to initiate and amend legislation.
References - This article is based on the article Constitution de 1852 from the French Wikipedia, retrieved on October 20, 2006.
The French Wikipedia is the French language edition of Wikipedia, spelled Wikipédia. ...
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