French Consular elections

[chornedsnorkack]

None happened OTL.
How were Consuls supposed to be elected?
Constitution of Year VIII:

39. The government is confided to three Consuls appointed for ten years and indefinitely re-eligible. Each of them is elected individually with the distinguishing title of First, Second or Third Consul. The constitution appoints as First Consul, Citizen Bonaparte, former provisional consul; as Second Consul, Citizen Cambacérès, former minister of justice: and as Third Consul, Citizen Lebrun, former member of the commission of the Council of Ancients. For this time the Third Consul is appointed only for five years.

40. The First Consul has special duties and prerogative in which he is temporarily replaced by one of his colleagues, when there is need.

The consuls were not elected in the first time, because the initial consuls were named in Constitution.
The terms were due to end in December 1809 (Bonaparte and Cambaceres) and December 1804 (Lebrun). They ended up cut short by constitutional amendment (to Empire).
I cannot find explanation how consuls were supposed to be chosen when position vacated by expiration of term.
Also "temporarily replaced by one of his colleagues, when there is need."
Which of them? Specifically Second Consul, or either of Consuls?
Death in office would be an obvious need for replacement... but how "temporary" would the replacement be, if Citizen Bonaparte had died, say, on 24th of December 1800? Would Cambaceres have become the First Consul as of right till the expiration of Bonaparte´s term in December 1809?
Which Consul´s post would have become open for election in case of First Consul´s death in office?

 

[JorgeGG]

Not clear enough in the Constitution of Year VIII. Had to look on how elections are done.

Reading articles 7, 8 and 9 citizens chose , remove (art 11 and 12) or replace (Art 10) by vote candidates for the formation of the communal, departamental and national lists. The candidates of these lists are fit for the public office of the list they are part of.

The Conservative Senate from the national list (art 19) chooses the legislators, the tribunes, the consuls, the judges of cassation, and the commissioners of accounts (art 20.).
The senate elects its own members (that looks more like a co-option) from a list of at least three candidates. Each presented by the Legislative body, the Tribunate and the First Consul (art 16).

Reading art 39 ''The government is confided to three Consuls appointed for ten years and indefinitely re-eligible.
Each of them is elected individually with the distinguishing title of First, Second or Third Consul.'

It seems from ''Each of them is elected individually'' a new election would have to be done for the specific consul if his mandate expires, dies or resigns. If the First Consul dies a new election has to be done and the Second Consul provisionally replaces him until the election.

 

[chornedsnorkack]

Not clear enough in the Constitution of Year VIII. Had to look on how elections are done.

The Conservative Senate from the national list (art 19) chooses the legislators, the tribunes, the consuls, the judges of cassation, and the commissioners of accounts (art 20.).
The senate elects its own members (that looks more like a co-option) from a list of at least three candidates. Each presented by the Legislative body, the Tribunate and the First Consul (art 16).

Reading art 39 ''The government is confided to three Consuls appointed for ten years and indefinitely re-eligible.
Each of them is elected individually with the distinguishing title of First, Second or Third Consul.'

It seems from ''Each of them is elected individually'' a new election would have to be done for the specific consul if his mandate expires, dies or resigns. If the First Consul dies a new election has to be done and the Second Consul provisionally replaces him until the election.

Ah, thanks! It was under conservative senate then.
60 men, or 62 (2 new members each year, starting December 1799).

Who do you think would Conservative Senate elect in December 1800-January 1801 as First Consul to fill a vacancy caused by death in office of citizen Bonaparte?

 

[JorgeGG]

My list (close to citizen Bonaparte or part of his entourage), in order of importance
* Lucien Bonaparte
*Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
*Jean Lannes
*Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
*Guillaume Brune
*Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès (Second Consul)
*Louis-Nicolas Davout
*Charles-François Lebrun (Third Consul)

Not having enough support to even be considered a candidate in any list. I considered them very unlikely to become First Consul.
*Talleyrand (perhaps Third Consul in charge of foreign affairs)
* Joseph Fouché
* Marquis de La Fayette
*Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès
*André Masséna
*Roger Ducos

 

[chornedsnorkack]

My list (close to citizen Bonaparte or part of his entourage), in order of importance
* Lucien Bonaparte

Lucien had been fired by Napoleon from the post of Minister of Interior on 7th of November, 1800, and promptly exiled as ambassador to Spain. Did he, as of 24th of December, command a powerbase of his own in Conservative Senate as to get elected in his absence?

 

[JorgeGG]

Lucien had been fired by Napoleon from the post of Minister of Interior on 7th of November, 1800, and promptly exiled as ambassador to Spain. Did he, as of 24th of December, command a powerbase of his own in Conservative Senate as to get elected in his absence?

I think so especially if he was framed or smeared by Fouché, a man with few sympathies in many circles. Any how I believe Lucien had more political knack then people think before his brother's ascension to power.

 

[isabella]

Lucien was the only other really brilliant Bonaparte. His political talent was surpassed only by Napoleon’s military genius in the family. Joseph and Eugene were good but no way at the same level.

 

[chornedsnorkack]

*Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte

Unlike Lucien, in France: since April 1800 commanding army of Vendee.