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Which groups formed the main support for Napoleon III's Second Empire?

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Portrait of Napoleon III in a dark military uniform with gold epaulettes, a red sash, and medals, set against a deep red background. Painted by Hippolyte Flandrin. — Napoleon III Napoleon III, detail of a portrait by Hippolyte Flandrin, 1862; in the Versailles Museum.

During the authoritarian years of the Second Empire (1852–1870), Napoleon III’s regime relied on a coalition of support from several key segments of French society to maintain stability and order. These primary groups included:1

The peasant masses: A foundational base of support for the emperor’s authority.1
The business class: Entrepreneurs and financiers who benefited from the era's significant economic expansion, industrial growth, and the government's favorable climate for private enterprise.1
The church: A pillar of the social order that the regime sought to align with to maintain stability.1
Local notables: Influential figures in the provinces who were willing to cooperate with the administration and its prefects.1

While the business class initially served as a strong pillar of the regime, this support was later strained by the emperor's shift toward economic liberalism, specifically the low-tariff treaty with Britain in 1860, which alienated many French businessmen.23