How did Napoleon 3 come to power?

Napoleon III came to power through a combination of political maneuvering and popular support. After the fall of Louis-Philippe in 1848, he capitalized on the instability of the Second Republic, winning the presidential election later that year. In 1851, he staged a coup d'état to extend his term beyond the constitutional limit, effectively consolidating power. He then declared himself Emperor of the French in 1852, establishing the Second Empire.