1871 French legislative election
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 758 seats in the National Assembly 320 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Legislative elections were held in France on 8 February 1871 to elect the first legislature of the Third French Republic, the unicameral National Assembly. The elections were held during a situation of crisis in the country, as following the Franco-Prussian War, 43 departments were occupied by Prussian forces. As a result, all public meetings were outlawed and Paris was the only city where an election campaign took place.
The electoral law allowed candidates to run in more than one seat at a time. As a result, several candidates were elected in more than one seat, with Adolphe Thiers elected in 86 constituencies. By-elections were subsequently held on 2 July to elect representatives for the 114 vacant seats.
This election saw the victory of monarchists (Legitimists and Orleanists), favourable to peace with the German Empire, with a large majority.
Results
[edit]Party | Seats | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | By-election | Total | ||||
Republicans | 150 | 99 | 249 | |||
Orléanists | 214 | 9 | 223 | |||
Legitimists | 182 | 3 | 185 | |||
Liberals | 78 | 0 | 78 | |||
Bonapartists | 20 | 3 | 23 | |||
Total | 644 | 114 | 758 | |||
Source: Rois et Presidents, Payot |