Council of Five Hundred

The Council of Five Hundred (Conseil des Cinq-Cents) formed the lower house of the legislative body during the Directory period in France (1795-1799). It was established by the Constitution of Year III (1795), which aimed to create a more moderate government after the fall of the radical Jacobin regime. The council comprised 500 deputies, all of whom were required to be at least 30 years old. It had the responsibility to propose and debate laws, which were then sent to the Council of Ancients (the upper house) for approval.

Members of the Council of Five Hundred were elected by limited suffrage, meaning that only a small portion of the population (primarily citizens meeting property qualifications) could participate. This was a significant shift from the more inclusive suffrage seen during the earlier phases of the Revolution. The council's sessions took place in the Salle du Manège (Riding Hall) of the Tuileries Palace in Paris until October 1797, when they moved to the Château de Saint-Cloud.

The Council of Five Hundred operated with a committee system. Committees were responsible for drafting legislation in specific areas, such as finance, military affairs, or commerce. The council was heavily influenced by political factions. Although there were several groups vying for control, two main factions stood out: the Thermidorians (moderate republicans who had risen to power after the fall of Robespierre) and the royalists (who sought the restoration of the monarchy).

One of the council's most notable moments occurred on 9 November 1799 (18 Brumaire Year VIII), when General Napoleon Bonaparte orchestrated a coup d'état. Bonaparte, with the help of his allies (including his brother Lucien Bonaparte, who was the president of the council at the time), successfully dissolved both the Council of Five Hundred and the Council of Ancients. This coup led to the establishment of the Consulate, marking the end of the Directory period and the start of Bonaparte’s rise to power.

The Council of Five Hundred faced numerous challenges during its existence. Economic instability, ongoing wars with European coalitions, and internal political strife all weakened its effectiveness. Despite its relatively short tenure, the Council of Five Hundred played a crucial role in the tumultuous transitional period of the French Revolution, seeking to balance revolutionary ideals with the need for political stability.

• The Council of Five Hundred was established on 22 September 1795 as part of the French Directory, replacing the National Convention after the fall of Robespierre.
• This legislative body consisted of 500 members, with individuals required to be at least 30 years old (unlike the younger members of the previous assemblies).
• Members of the Council of Five Hundred were elected by a system of indirect suffrage, where all male citizens could vote for electors, who would then choose the council members.
• One of the notable features of the Council was that sessions were conducted in secret, making decision-making processes more obscure than in previous revolutionary assemblies.
• The Council was responsible for proposing new laws, and its acts were enacted only after approval by the Council of Ancients, which added an additional layer of governance.
• Only twelve laws were enacted by the Council in its first year, reflecting the political complexities and challenges of the time under the Directory.
• The Council of Five Hundred faced opposition from both royalists and Jacobins, highlighting the ongoing ideological battles that characterized post-revolutionary France.