Opposition polls strongly in French legislative elections

Background. The Second French Empire, established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte as Emperor Napoleon III, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. Its structure remained little changed from the First Empire. The general amnesty of 16 August 1859 marked the beginning of an evolution from the authoritarian empire toward a liberal, and later parliamentary, empire that was to last for ten years. By 1869, the opposition had strengthened its presence in the legislature, challenging the regime's dominance.

Electoral Results. Parliamentary elections held in May and June 1869 saw the regime win large majorities in the countryside, but the opposition strengthened its presence in the legislature. In Paris, opposition parties, mostly Republicans, won 75% of the vote. These results inflicted a serious moral defeat on the Empire, leading to the recognition of opposition strength and subsequent political reforms.

Political Consequences. Concessions followed the elections' moral defeat: by the senatus-consulte of 8 September 1869, a parliamentary monarchy was substituted for the Emperor's personal government. This shift formed part of a longer evolution toward a liberal, parliamentary empire. Earlier, a distinct rapprochement between the emperor and the Left had been indicated by the sacrifice of minister Persigny of the interior, the elevation of Eugène Rouher, and the nomination of the anti-clerical Jean Victor Duruy as minister of public instruction.