Editing July Monarchy (section)

==== The legislative elections of 4 November 1837 ====
{{further|French legislative election, 1837}}
{{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}'s government seemed stable, helped by the return of economic prosperity. Therefore, the king and {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} decided, against the Duke of Orléans's advice, that the moment was auspicious for the dissolving of the Chamber, which was done on 3 October 1837. In order to influence the forthcoming elections, {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} decided on the [[French rule in Algeria|Constantine expedition in Algeria]], a military success of [[General {{lang|fr|Sylvain Charles Valée|italic=no|nocat=y}}]] and the Duke of Nemours, second son of {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}}, who took {{lang|fr|[[Constantine, Algeria|Constantine]]|italic=no}} on 13 October.

However, the [[1837 French legislative election|4 November 1837 elections]] did not deliver {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}}'s hopes. Of a total of 459 deputies, only a plurality of 220 were supporters of the regime. About 20 Legitimists had been elected, and 30 Republicans. The center-right {{lang|fr|[[Doctrinaires]]}} had approximately 30 deputies, the center-left about twice that many, and the dynastic opposition ({{lang|fr|Odilon Barrot|italic=no}}) 65. The {{lang|fr|Tiers-Parti}} had only about 15 deputies, and 30 more were undecided. Such a Chamber carried the risk of the formation of a heterogeneous coalition against the government.

As early as January 1838, the government was under great pressure, in particular from {{lang|fr|[[Charles Gauguier]]|italic=no}}, over deputies who were also civil servants. On 9 January he accused the government of electoral manipulation in order to have loyal civil servants elected. Where there had been 178 in the preceding Chamber, there were now 191. {{lang|fr|[[Adolphe Thiers]]|italic=no}} and his allies also defied the government, concerning Spanish affairs. However, with the help of the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}}, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} obtained a favorable vote for the address to the king on 13 January 1838, with 216 votes to 116.

{{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}'s cabinet appeared to be taken hostage by the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}}, at the exact moment when {{lang|fr|[[François Guizot|Guizot]]|italic=no}} was distancing himself from the President of the Council. All of {{lang|fr|Thiers|italic=no}}'s efforts would be thereafter focused on pushing the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}} away from the ministerial majority. During the vote on the secret funds, both {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, in the Chamber of Deputies, and the Duke of Broglie, in the Chamber of Peers, criticized the cabinet, although both ultimately voted with the government.

On 10 May 1838, the deputies rejected the government's plan for railway development, after having finally agreed, a week earlier, the proposals on government bonds opposed by {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}. The Peers, however, supported {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} and rejected the initiative. On 20 June 1838, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} succeeded in having the Assembly pass the 1839 budget before the parliamentary recess.

On the opening of the parliamentary session in December 1838, {{lang|fr|[[André Dupin]]|italic=no}} was elected by a very slim majority (183 votes for 178 for {{lang|fr|[[Hippolyte Passy]]|italic=no}}, the center-left candidate and adamant opponent of the "Castle cabinet") as President of the Chamber. A coalition, including {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, {{lang|fr|Thiers|italic=no}}, {{lang|fr|[[Prosper Duvergier de Hauranne]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|fr|[[Hippolyte Passy]]|italic=no}}, had formed during summer, but it did not prevent the vote of a favorable address to the King (221 votes against 208).