France’s new constitution provides for universal male…

France’s new constitution provides for universal male suffrage and calls for a bi-cameral legislature, consisting of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies.

The initial republic was in effect led by pro-royalists, but republicans (the "Radicals") and Bonapartists had scrambled for power.

The first election under this new constitution—held in early 1876—had resulted in a republican victory, with three hundred and sixty-three republicans elected as opposed to one hundred and eighty monarchists.

However, seventy-five of the monarchists elected to the new Chamber of Deputies were Bonapartists.

The "Bonapartist threat" of a coup d'état is an ever-present danger in these early days of the Republic.

Under the constitution, President MacMahon is required to pick a "premier" to actually lead the day-to-day affairs of the government.

The most natural leader to pick following this republican victory at the polls would have been Leon Gambetta.

However, the old Marshal is dead set against Gambetta and had chosen, instead, moderate Jules Armand Dufaure, who had tried to form a government but had quickly been overthrown.

Next, Marshall Mac-Mahon chooses conservative Jules Simon, who assumes office on December 1, 1876.