The Chamber of Deputies (, ) was the lower house of parliament in France at various times in the 19th and 20th centuries: 1814–1848 during the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy, the Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament, elected by census suffrage. 1875–1940 during the French Third Republic, the Chamber of Deputies was the legislative assembly of the French Parliament, elected by two-round system with universal male suffrage. When reunited with the Senate in Versailles, the French Parliament was called the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) and carried out the election of the president of the French Republic.
During the Bourbon Restoration
Created by the Charter of 1814 and replacing the Corps législatif, which existed under the First French Empire, the Chamber of Deputies was composed of individuals elected by census suffrage. Its role was to discuss laws and, most importantly, to vote taxes. According to the Charter, deputies were elected for five years, with one-fifth renewed each year. Deputies needed to be 40 years old and to pay 1,000 francs in direct contributions.
Government ministers could be chosen from among the deputies, and this resulted in giving the Restoration government a slight, albeit minor, parliamentary and liberal character.
During the Hundred Days (les cent jours) return of Napoleon I in 1815, under the terms of the Additional Act to the Constitutions of the Empire, the Chamber of Deputies was briefly replaced by a Chamber of Representatives (Chambre des représentants). This body was dissolved upon the entry of Coalition troops into Paris on 7 July.
For the period 1815–1816, the (then) Ultra-royalist chamber was referred to as the Chambre introuvable.
During the July Monarchy
The Chamber of Deputies was elected by census suffrage according to the Charter of 1830. The political life of the July Monarchy was defined by the split within the Chamber of Deputies between the progressive movement (considered the Charter as a starting point) and the conservative wing (who refused any further modifications). Although both parties traded power in the initial stages, by 1840 the conservative members around François Guizot had seized control.
From 1830, deputies were elected for five years. They needed to be 30 years old and to pay 500 francs in direct contributions.
The king convoked the chamber every year, and he had the power to extend the parliamentary session or to dissolve the chamber, although in the latter case he was required to convoke a new chamber in three months time.
In 1852, the Chamber of Deputies retook the name Corps législatif.
Historical composition
Kingdom of France (1815–1848)
May 1815 40510 80 August 1815 50350 1816 20 10136 92 1820 80194160 1824 17413 1827170260 1830274282 1831 73282104 1834 75 50320 15 1837 19142 56 64168 15 1839240199 20 1842193266 1846168290
French Third Republic (1870–1940)
1871 38112 72 20214182 1876 27 98193 48 15 22 76 40 15 24 1877 27 73147 66 3111 38 56 1881 48 1 47170157 44 8 44 38 1885 60 40200 83 65 63 73 1889 57 13 69214 14 3169 37 1893 67 41 99242 30 27 61 14 1898 97 55 86232 5 53 39 14 1902 43104129 62127 89 35 1906 54 20132115 90 66 78 30 1910 75 24261 1 66 30131 7 1914 5102 22192 66 77 50 88 1919 68 26 86107 21 29183 1924 26104 44139123 29116 1928 11102 60125180 24100 1932 9 10132 43160121 49 83 1936 6 72149 44115 82 42100
See also Cabinet of France Constitution of France French Parliament History of France National Assembly (French Fourth Republic) National Assembly (France) (Fifth Republic) Politics of France
References