- September 2, 1870:Napoleon III is taken prisoner by the Prussians at Sedan.
- September 4:Gambetta proclaims the III th Republic. It's the end of the Second Empire.
- In 1871, legislative elections took place. They are won by the royalists. However, they cannot agree on the pretender to the throne and the restoration (return to power of a king) fails. This new National Assembly therefore appointed Adolphe Thiers as head of the executive power, but it dismissed him two years later in the face of his lack of eagerness to restore the monarchy.
- May 24, 1873:Mac Mahon replaces Thiers as head of state for an indefinite period.
- This political regime remains provisional because no Constitution has been voted to organize the State.
1875
Characters
Adolphe Thiers
Patrice de Mac Mahon
Henry Wallon
Anselme Batbie
Procedure
- November 20, 1873:the Assembly adopts the law of the seven-year term and entrusts executive power to Mac-Mahon. This law also establishes a commission of thirty members responsible for drafting a Constitution. This commission, made up of a majority of royalist deputies, is chaired by Anselme Batbie.
- January 30, 1875:Henri Wallon's amendment (modification of a bill) is adopted by 353 votes to 352. The Republic, the presidential office and the seven-year term enter into constitutional law.
Consequences
- Three constitutional laws were passed by the National Assembly, establishing the III th Republic:
- the law of February 24, 1875 concerns the organization of the Senate;
- the law of 25 February 1875 concerns the organization of public authorities;
- the law of July 16, 1875 concerns the relationship between public authorities.
- These laws lasted until 1940. Indeed, on July 10, 1940, during the Second World War, the deputies and senators gave full powers to Marshal Pétain. It's the end of the III th Republic.