Third cabinet of Napoleon III
# Third cabinet of Napoleon III

The Third cabinet of Napoleon III was formed by the Emperor Napoleon III on 2 December 1852, replacing the Second cabinet of Louis Napoleon at the start of the Second French Empire. It remained in place (with various ministerial changes) until 17 July 1869, when it was replaced by the Fourth cabinet of Napoleon III. The ministers were each accountable to Napoleon III, who was thus both head of state and head of government.

Ministerial appointments were:

| Ministry | From | To | Minister |
| - | - | - | - |
| State | 2 December 1852 | 23 November 1860 | Achille Fould |
| State | 23 November 1860 | 23 June 1863 | Alexandre Colonna-Walewski |
| State | 23 June 1863 | 18 October 1863 | Adolphe Billault |
| State | 18 October 1863 | 17 July 1869 | Achille Fould |
| Justice | 2 December 1852 | 16 November 1857 | Jacques Pierre Abbatucci |
| Justice | 16 November 1857 | 5 May 1859 | Ernest de Royer |
| Justice | 5 May 1859 | 23 June 1863 | Adolphe Billault |
| Justice | 18 October 1863 | 17 July 1869 | Claude Alphonse Delangle |
| Foreign Affairs | 2 December 1852 | 8 May 1855 | Édouard Drouyn de Lhuys |
| Foreign Affairs | 8 May 1855 | 4 January 1860 | Alexandre Colonna-Walewski |
| Foreign Affairs | 4 January 1860 | 24 January 1860 | Jules Baroche (interim) |
| Foreign Affairs | 24 January 1860 | 15 October 1862 | Édouard Thouvenel |
| Foreign Affairs | 15 October 1862 | 1 September 1866 | Édouard Drouyn de Lhuys |
| Foreign Affairs | 1 September 1866 | 2 October 1866 | Charles de La Valette (interim) |
| Foreign Affairs | 2 October 1866 | 17 December 1868 | Lionel de Moustier |
| Foreign Affairs | 17 December 1868 | 17 July 1869 | Charles de La Valette |
| Interior | 2 December 1852 | 13 June 1854 | Victor de Persigny |
| Interior | 13 June 1854 | 7 February 1858 | Adolphe Billault |
| Interior | 7 February 1858 | 14 June 1858 | Charles-Marie-Esprit Espinasse |
| Interior | 14 June 1858 | 5 May 1859 | Claude Alphonse Delangle |
| Interior | 5 May 1859 | 1 November 1859 | Louis Arrighi de Casanova |
| Interior | 1 November 1859 | 5 December 1860 | Adolphe Billault |
| Interior | 5 December 1860 | 23 June 1863 | Victor de Persigny |
| Interior | 23 June 1863 | 28 March 1865 | Paul Boudet |
| Interior | 28 March 1865 | 13 November 1867 | Charles de La Valette |
| Interior | 13 November 1867 | 17 December 1868 | Pierre Magne |
| Interior | 7 December 1868 | 17 July 1869 | Adolphe de Forcade Laroquette |
| Beaux-Arts | 2 December 1852 | 14 February 1853 | Victor de Persigny |
| Beaux-Arts | 14 February 1853 | 23 November 1860 | Achille Fould |
| Beaux-Arts | 23 November 1860 | 23 June 1863 | Alexandre Colonna-Walewski |
| Beaux-Arts | 23 June 1863 | 17 July 1869 | Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant |
| Police | 2 December 1852 | 10 June 1853 | Charlemagne de Maupas (ministry suppressed) |
| Finance | 2 December 1852 | 3 February 1855 | Jean-Martial Bineau |
| Finance | 3 February 1855 | 26 November 1860 | Pierre Magne |
| Finance | 26 November 1860 | 14 November 1861 | Adolphe de Forcade Laroquette |
| Finance | 14 November 1861 | 20 January 1867 | Achille Fould |
| Finance | 20 January 1867 | 13 November 1867 | Eugène Rouher |
| Finance | 13 November 1867 | 17 July 1869 | Pierre Magne |
| War | 2 December 1852 | 11 March 1854 | Jacques Leroy de Saint-Arnaud |
| War | 11 March 1854 | 5 May 1859 | Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant |
| War | 5 May 1859 | 20 January 1867 | Jacques Louis Randon |
| War | 20 January 1867 | 17 July 1869 | Adolphe Niel |
| Navy and Colonies | 2 December 1852 | 27 March 1855 | Théodore Ducos |
| Navy and Colonies | 27 March 1855 | 19 April 1855 | Jacques Pierre Abbatucci (acting) |
| Navy and Colonies | 19 April 1855 | 24 June 1858 | Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin |
| Navy | 24 June 1858 | 26 November 1860 | Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin |
| Algeria and the Colonies | 24 June 1858 | 7 March 1859 | Prince Napoléon Bonaparte |
| Algeria and the Colonies | 7 March 1859 | 24 March 1859 | Eugène Rouher (interim) |
| Algeria and the Colonies | 24 March 1859 | 24 November 1860 | Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat (interim) |
| Navy and Colonies | 26 November 1860 | 20 January 1867 | Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat |
| Navy and Colonies | 20 January 1867 | 17 July 1869 | Charles Rigault de Genouilly |
| Education and Religious affairs | 2 December 1852 | 7 June 1856 | Hippolyte Fortoul |
| Education and Religious affairs | 7 June 1856 | 13 August 1856 | Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant (interim) |
| Education and Religious affairs | 13 August 1856 | 23 June 1863 | Gustave Rouland |
| Education and Religious affairs | 23 June 1863 | 17 July 1869 | Victor Duruy |
| Public Works | 2 December 1852 | 2 February 1855 | Pierre Magne |
| Public Works | 2 February 1855 | 23 June 1863 | Eugène Rouher |
| Public Works | 23 June 1863 | 20 January 1867 | Louis Henri Armand Behic |
| Public Works | 20 January 1867 | 17 December 1868 | Adolphe de Forcade Laroquette |
| Public Works | 17 December 1868 | 17 July 1869 | Edmond Gressier |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 2 December 1852 | 23 June 1853 | Victor de Persigny |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 23 June 1853 | 2 February 1855 | Pierre Magne |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 2 February 1855 | 23 June 1863 | Eugène Rouher |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 23 June 1863 | 20 January 1867 | Louis Henri Armand Behic |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 20 January 1867 | 17 December 1868 | Adolphe de Forcade Laroquette |
| Agriculture and Commerce | 17 December 1868 | 17 July 1869 | Edmond Gressier |
| Emperor's Household | 14 December 1852 | 23 November 1860 | Achille Fould |
| Emperor's Household | 4 December 1860 | 17 July 1869 | Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant |
| Minister President of the Council of State | 30 December 1852 | 23 June 1863 | Jules Baroche |
| Minister President of the Council of State | 23 June 1863 | 18 October 1863 | Eugène Rouher |
| Minister President of the Council of State | 18 October 1863 | 28 September 1864 | Gustave Rouland |
| Minister President of the Council of State | 28 September 1864 | 17 July 1869 | Adolphe Vuitry |
| Without Portfolio | 26 November 1860 | 30 March 1863 | Pierre Magne |
| Without Portfolio | 3 December 1860 | 23 June 1863 | Jules Baroche |
| Without Portfolio | 5 December 1860 | 13 October 1863 | Adolphe Billault |
