The Coup of 1856 leads to Luxembourg's unilateral adoption of a new, reactionary constitution as King-Grand Duke William III signs the new constitution on November 27 without the Chamber of Deputies' consent.
To form the government of Luxembourg at this time requires the support of both the Chamber of Deputies and the Grand Duke; without the former, the de la Fontaine government had collapsed in 1848, while Jean-Jacques Willmar's government had been fired by the Grand Duke in 1853 despite still having the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies.
This had created a rivalry between the monarchy and the Chamber.
In the speech from the throne on October 7, 1856, the Governor of Luxembourg, Prince Henry, had announced the amendment of the constitution, which he claimed was required to bring it into line with the rest of the German Confederation.
The liberals in the Chamber were outraged, and demanded that any changes respect the freedoms won in the Revolutions of 1848 and the independence of Luxembourg from the Netherlands, which was in a personal union with Luxembourg.
The liberals' draft reply was passed by 31 votes to 15.
On October 28, the Chamber had voted to adjourn on November 19.
On that day, the Chamber withdrew its confidence in the government and requested another adjournment, which was rejected.
The liberals left the Chamber, refusing to return the following day.
In response to this, the Grand Duke had dissolved the Chamber, and the government presented the Grand Duke with a new constitution, as well as a condemnation of the oppositions' withdrawal.
The Grand Duke signs on November 27, and the changes will be published in Mémorial, the official gazette of the state, on November 30.
It will be approved by the German Confederation on January 29, 1857.
The changes include:
The creation of the Council of State, modeled on the French body and appointed by the Grand Duke. While the appointment model will be revised in 1866, the Council of State still exists.
Restrictions on freedom of the press; these will be lifted in 1868.
Adding to the constitution that 'sovereignty resides in the person of the King-Grand Duke', which will be removed with an amendment on May 15, 1919.
An increase in the poll tax, which will be scrapped only with the introduction of universal suffrage in 1919.
The reorganization of elections to the Chamber of Deputies to include two classes of deputies. Those that pay more than 125 francs in tax elect 15 members representing the districts; those paying between 10 francs and 125 francs elect 16 members representing the cantons, thus giving the rich a representation far beyond their proportion of the population, similar to the provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia adopted a few years before. This will be undone by the new constitution in 1868.
