Constitution of the Year XII

The Constitution of the Year XII, adopted in May 1804, established the First French Empire, with Napoleon Bonaparte declared Emperor of the French. This marked a significant shift from the republican ideals of the French Revolution, consolidating power within a single, hereditary ruler.12

Under this constitution, the executive branch, led by Napoleon, held supreme authority. Legislative powers were significantly diminished, with bodies like the Corps Législatif largely serving as a rubber stamp for the Emperor's decisions. Key reforms during this period included the reorganization of the judiciary, the establishment of the Bank of France, and the creation of the Napoleonic Code, which codified civil law and enshrined principles like individual liberty and equality before the law, though with limitations on women's rights. The constitution effectively ended the tradition of legislative supremacy that had characterized earlier revolutionary governments.134