Coup of 1851

The Coup of 1851 was a sudden, illegal takeover of the French government by President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, who later became Emperor Napoleon III. Frustrated with political opposition and parliamentary obstacles, he dissolved the legislature and seized power through a military intervention. This move established an authoritarian regime, ending the democratic republic and consolidating his control. The coup was justified by claiming to restore stability, but it effectively ended democratic rule in France for several years.