He remains Consul and the French Republic survives. Would it be easier or more difficult for him to win in the end? I can't help but think that in the end, this was a major factor contributing to his defeat- with a republic he had a blank check to recreate Europe in the image of republicanism, no need to bow down to history and/or tradition, and the liberated countries would be inherently stronger and more stable ruled by its own citizens rather than by upstart monarchs with little legitimacy (enemies to both the republicans and the monarchists, loyal only to Napoleon).