dec 20, 1848 - 1851 French Coup d'Etat

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The French coup d'état of 2 December 1851 was a self-coup staged by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (at the time, President of the French Second Republic). Code-named Operation Rubicon and timed to coincide with the anniversary of Napoleon I's coronation and victory at Austerlitz, the coup ended in the successful dissolution of the French National Assembly and the subsequent re-establishment of the French Empire the next year. When he faced the prospect of having to leave office in 1852, Louis-Napoléon (nephew of Napoléon Bonaparte) staged the coup in order to stay in office and implement his reform programs; these included the restoration of universal male suffrage (previously abolished by the legislature). His political measures, and the extension of his mandate for 10 years, were popularly endorsed by constitutional referendum. A year later, the Prince-President reclaimed his uncle's throne as Emperor of the French under the regnal name Napoleon III.

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