How did Napoleon I centralize local government in France?

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Jacques-Louis David: The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries — Napoleon I *The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries*, oil on canvas by Jacques-Louis David, 1812; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Napoleon I centralized local government in France by dismantling the revolutionary commitment to local autonomy and replacing it with a system of strict top-down administration.1

The Local Government Act of February 1800 was the primary instrument of this change, as it completely eliminated elections for local offices. Under this new structure, the central government in Paris exerted control through the following appointments:1

Prefects: Appointed to oversee each département, these officials acted as the cornerstone of the administration, similar to the royal intendants of the past.1
Subprefects: These officials were appointed to assist the prefects at the level of the arrondissements (subdistricts).1
Mayors: Local leadership in each commune was no longer elected but instead filled by government-appointed mayors.1

This system ensured uniformity and centralization, as prefects were responsible for monitoring the public spirit of their regions and ensuring the efficient collection of taxes and conscription of soldiers. While local matters were referred to the prefect, all significant decisions required final sanction from the interior ministry in Paris.1