Editing French Revolution (section)

=== Thermidorian reaction ===
{{Main|Thermidorian Reaction}}

The bloodshed did not end with the death of Robespierre; [[southern France]] saw a [[First White Terror|wave of revenge killings]], directed against alleged Jacobins, Republican officials and Protestants. Although the victors of Thermidor asserted control over the Commune by executing their leaders, some of those closely involved in the "Terror" retained their positions. They included [[Paul Barras]], later chief executive of the [[French Directory]], and [[Joseph Fouché]], director of the killings in Lyon who served as [[Minister of Police (France)|Minister of Police]] under the Directory, the Consulate and [[First French Empire|Empire]].{{Sfn|Andress|2006|p=237}} Despite his links to Augustin Robespierre, military success in Italy meant Bonaparte escaped censure.{{Sfn|McLynn|1997|p=82}}

[[File:Paul Barras directeur.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.8|Former Viscount and Montagnard [[Paul Barras]], who took part in the Thermidorian reaction and later headed the [[French Directory]]]]

The December 1794 [[Treaty of La Jaunaye]] ended the [[Chouannerie]] in western France by allowing freedom of worship and the return of non-juring priests.{{Sfn|Andress|2006|p=354}} This was accompanied by military success; in January 1795, French forces helped the [[Patriottentijd|Dutch Patriots]] set up the [[Batavian Republic]], securing their northern border.{{Sfn|Schama|1977|pp=178–192}} The war with Prussia was concluded in favour of France by the [[Peace of Basel]] in April 1795, while Spain made peace shortly thereafter.{{Sfn|Hargreaves-Mawdsley|1968|pp=175–176}}

However, the Republic still faced a crisis at home. Food shortages arising from a poor 1794 harvest were exacerbated in northern France by the need to supply the army in [[Flanders]], while the winter was the worst since 1709.{{Sfn|Lyons|1975|p=15}} By April 1795, people were starving, and the ''assignat'' was worth only 8% of its face value; in desperation, [[Insurrection of 12 Germinal Year III|the Parisian poor rose again]].{{Sfn|Woronoff|1984|p=10}} They were quickly dispersed and the main impact was another round of arrests, while Jacobin prisoners in Lyon were summarily executed.{{Sfn|Woronoff|1984|p=15}}

A committee drafted the [[Constitution of the Year III]], approved by [[Referendum|plebiscite]] on 23 September 1795 and put into place on 27 September.{{Sfn|Doyle|1990|p=320}} Largely designed by [[Pierre Claude François Daunou|Pierre Daunou]] and [[François Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas|Boissy d'Anglas]], it established a [[bicameral legislature]], intended to slow down the legislative process, ending the wild swings of policy under the previous unicameral systems. The [[Council of 500]] was responsible for drafting legislation, which was reviewed and approved by the [[Council of Ancients]], an upper house containing 250 men over the age of 40. Executive power was in the hands of five directors, selected by the Council of Ancients from a list provided by the lower house, with a five-year mandate.{{Sfn|Lyons|1975|pp=18–19}}

Deputies were chosen by indirect election, a total franchise of around 5&nbsp;million voting in primaries for 30,000 electors, or 0.6% of the population. Since they were also subject to stringent property qualification, it guaranteed the return of conservative or moderate deputies. In addition, rather than dissolving the previous legislature as in 1791 and 1792, the so-called 'law of two-thirds' ruled only 150 new deputies would be elected each year. The remaining 600 ''Conventionnels'' kept their seats, a move intended to ensure stability.{{Sfn|Lyons|1975|p=19}}