Napoleon is declared Consul for Life
It went against everything the Revolution stood for, and yet, the majority of the French supported Napoleon’s Consulship for Life with the power to appoint his successor.
Although the result of the plebiscite was fixed, with 3,653,600 in favour to some 8,000 against, it was the first time in French history that over half of those eligible to vote had turned up. ‘You judged that I owed the people another sacrifice,’ said Napoleon on being told of the plebiscite results.