In 1852 Aberdeen formed a coalition government. The Peelites insisted that Lord John Russell be Foreign Secretary, forcing Palmerston to take the office of Home Secretary. As Home Secretary Palmerston enacted various social reforms, although he opposed electoral reform. When Aberdeen's coalition fell in 1855 over its handling of the Crimean War, Palmerston was the only man able to sustain a majority in Parliament, and he became Prime Minister. He had two periods in office, 1855–1858 and 1859–1865, before his death at the age of 80 years, a few months after victory in a general election in which he had achieved an increased majority. He remains the last British Prime Minister to die in office.