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Why was the French Foreign Legion allowed to fight on French soil during the Franco-German War?

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French Foreign Legion soldiers in uniform with white hats and rifles stand in formation during a Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris. — French Foreign Legion Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion in a parade celebrating Bastille Day in Paris.

During the Franco-German War, the 1831 law that had previously prohibited the French Foreign Legion from serving on French soil was suspended. This suspension occurred in September–October 1870, following the surrender of Napoleon III’s armies at Sedan and Metz, which created an urgent need for additional forces to defend France.1