He was not interested in the return of the Empire so much as in a plebiscitary republic modelled on the French Consulate of 1799–1804 with universal suffrage and an elected president. He was a determined opponent of the parliamentary system of the Third Republic. Despite being an outsider born far away, and despite being a conservative Bonapartist intellectual, he won great affection from the common people of the Charente countryside and was elected tens times in a row by the voters of the Cognac district. Cunéo d'Ornano was one of the most prominent leaders of the Bonapartist party in Charente during the 1876 legislative elections. He engaged in noisy demonstrations against the republican government, and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Cognac district of Charente in the second round of voting. There were many protests against the election, which was invalidated by the House on 5 April 1876 due to defamatory posters and attacks on the constitution. He was reelected with an improved majority on 21 May 1876. He sat with the Appel au peuple parliamentary group, consistently voted with the monarchical minority and often intervened in debates. In 1876, as a result of an article published in his "le Suffrage universel", Cunéo d'Ornano fought a duel with André Duclaud(), a republican deputy in Charente. Cunéo d'Ornano supported the act of 16 May 1877 and supported the policy of the Broglie-Fourtou government. As official candidate in the 14 October 1877 elections he famously stated in his profession of faith that he would make "the republic and the republicans a meal that even dogs would not eat." He was elected by 9,911 votes to 7,704 for the republican candidate. In the Chamber he continued his opposition and interruptions in debates, and was often called to order. He voted against the election of Jules Grévy as President of France, against the law on freedom of the press, and constantly fought for the "appel au peuple" (referendum). On 8 December 1878 he attacked the persecution of "La Jeune Garde" by the government, saying, "there is no liberty if it does not exist equally for everyone". He said the republican government allowed shameful caricatures against religion and past regimes, but banned drawings that targeted republican officials. Cunéo d'Ornano was reelected on 21 August 1881 by 8,621 votes against 8,132 votes for the republican candidate.