Prime Minister
parliamentary
CountryFrench Third Republic
Previous election1869 French legislative election
Previous year1869
Election date8 February 1871
Next electionFrench legislative election, 1876
Next year1876
Seats for electionAll 758 seats in the National Assembly
Majority seats320
Leader 1Jules Grévy
Party 1Republicans
Party1 nameno
Seats 1249
Leader 2Henri d'Orléans
Party 2Orléanists
Seats 2223
Leader 3Henri of Artois
Party 3Legitimists
Seats 3185
Party 4Liberals
Party4 nameno
Seats 478
Party 5Bonapartists (political party)
Seats 523
Before electionLouis-Jules Trochu
Before partyIndependent politician
After electionJules Dufaure
After partyIndependent politician

Legislative elections were held in France on 8 February 1871 to elect the first legislature of the Third French Republic, the unicameral National Assembly. The elections were held during a situation of crisis in the country, as following the Franco-Prussian War, 43 departments were occupied by Prussian forces. As a result, all public meetings were outlawed and Paris was the only city where an election campaign took place.

The electoral law allowed candidates to run in more than one seat at a time. As a result, several candidates were elected in more than one seat, with Adolphe Thiers elected in 86 constituencies. By-elections were subsequently held on 2 July to elect representatives for the 114 vacant seats.

The elections saw the victory of monarchists (Legitimists and Orleanists), who were favourable to a restoration of the monarchy and peace with the German Empire, with the two groups winning a large majority.

See also