It is known by this name to the Republican political regime established between 25 February 1848 and 2 December 1852 in France. During the December 1848 elections, Prince Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was victorious. Born on April 20, 1808, he had also fought alongside the Italian revolutionaries, who had risen up against the authority of the pope. King Napoleon was the nephew of Napoleon I and was forced to leave France with his entire family, residing in Switzerland, after the rise of the Bourbon dynasty.
Despite its short time during the second republic, great reforms were presented, which would have as a consequence the introduction of universal male suffrage, the definitive elimination of slavery and the right to work.
The Second Republic can be divided into two stages: The first of them from February 1848 to April 23 of the same year, the date on which the first elections to the National Assembly were held, the temporary government that was established was made up of moderate republicans, some radicals and also by socialists. In just over 60 days, an unprecedented series of political and social measures were taken.
The first general elections in which universal male suffrage was presented, the weight of the vote of the peasant union, which throughout history was dominated by the most conservative classes, gave national politics a great turn to the right. Subsequently, a series of unpopular measures generated a series of protest demonstrations in June 1848. This forced the workers to take to the streets and set up barricades. Motivated by such revolts, the government declares a state of siege and the demonstrations are harshly repressed by General Cavaignac, thus marking the transition without transition to a conservative and authoritarian republic.
By December 1848, the first president of the French Republic was elected by universal male suffrage: Louis Napoléon Bonaparte being the one chosen by the people, who was Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew. Since 1850, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte has multiplied tours in the provinces with the aim of being reelected. But motivated by the refusal of the Assembly to modify the Constitution in that sense, he carried out a coup on December 2, 1851, in which he militarily took the strategic points of the country.
During that time the repression and elimination of its contenders took place. The seizure of power was approved by a plebiscite organized on December 21, where the majority of voters are deprived of their right to vote.In November 1852, a new plebiscite puts an end to the Second Republic and establishes the Second Empire.
