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Why did Napoleon Bonaparte become First Consul for life in 1802?

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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 Bonaparte became First Consul for life in 1802 primarily due to his immense political prestige, which had reached its peak following the proclamation of the Concordat earlier that year.1

At the suggestion of his political allies, a proposal was put forward to offer Napoleon a "token of national gratitude." This led to a national plebiscite in May 1802, in which the French people voted overwhelmingly in favor of making him consul for life.1

Following this mandate, Napoleon initiated constitutional changes that were registered by the Council of State and the Senate in August 1802. These reforms granted him the power to nominate his successor, the sole authority to ratify peace and alliance treaties, and the ability to appoint members to the Senate. By this time, the ruling class had come to view him as indispensable, and these changes effectively transformed his position into that of an absolute ruler, marking a shift toward absolute monarchy under the guise of the Republic.1