The institutions theme of the examen civique tests how France is governed: the President of the Republic elected for five years, the Prime Minister appointed rather than elected, the Parliament made up of the Assemblée nationale and the Sénat, and the layered local government of communes, departments and regions. With 55 of the 258 official knowledge questions, it is the second-largest theme, and it extends to the European Union. The free practice questions below appear in the original French, as they will on exam day.
Comment est désigné le Premier ministre ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 40 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Qui peut se présenter aux élections présidentielles ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 41 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
À qui appartient la souveraineté nationale ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 42 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Qui est élu lors des élections municipales ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 43 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
L'inscription sur les listes électorales est :
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 44 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Quelle condition est nécessaire pour voter aux élections présidentielles ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 45 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Quelle condition faut-il remplir pour être candidat aux élections municipales ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 46 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Parmi ces autorités, laquelle est élue ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 47 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Quelles sont les fonctions du maire ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 48 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
Une personne, n'ayant pas d'accès à internet, veut s'inscrire sur les listes électorales pour pouvoir voter aux prochaines élections politiques. Où peut-elle s'inscrire ?
Based on: Liste officielle des questions de connaissance, examen civique (naturalisation), Ministère de l'Intérieur, thème « Système institutionnel et politique », n° 49 (data.gouv.fr / leqcmcivique, Licence Ouverte 2.0)
The Fifth Republic rests on the separation of the three powers: executive, legislative and judicial, a protection against arbitrary rule that the exam names explicitly. The President of the Republic is the head of state, guardian of the Constitution and head of the armed forces, elected for a five-year term renewable once consecutively. To stand, a candidate must be a French citizen of legal age with full civic rights and must collect 500 sponsorships from elected officials. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who directs the action of the government, ensures the execution of the laws and is accountable to Parliament. Laws are voted by Parliament, composed of the Assemblée nationale and the Sénat; the Constitutional Council then checks that laws comply with the Constitution. The exam repeatedly tests who is elected and who is appointed: deputies are elected, while prefects, ministers and the Prime Minister are appointed. The prefect represents the State in each department, and the Defender of Rights is an independent authority that protects rights and fights discrimination. If the presidency falls vacant, the interim goes to the President of the Senate. National sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through representatives and by referendum, and the Constitution itself can be revised by referendum or by a vote of Congress at Versailles.
Citizens vote from age 18, provided they hold French nationality and are registered on the electoral rolls; registration is automatic at 18 after the citizen census at 16, and voting is a civic duty but not a legal obligation. In municipal elections voters elect the municipal councillors for six years, and it is the council that elects the mayor from among its members: residents never elect the mayor directly, a distinction the exam loves. France is a unitary state organised into 13 metropolitan regions, 101 departments and tens of thousands of communes, each layer with its own school responsibility: the commune runs nursery and primary schools, the department runs the collèges, and the region runs upper secondary schools and regional transport such as the TER. The European Union questions in this theme are factual: the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 created the Union and European citizenship, the EU has 27 member states since the United Kingdom left in 2020, the European Parliament has its seat in Strasbourg, the Commission sits in Brussels, and the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. EU citizens living in France may vote in municipal and European elections there.
| Point | Assemblée nationale | Sénat |
|---|---|---|
| Members | Deputies (députés) | Senators (sénateurs) |
| How elected | Direct universal suffrage, legislative elections | Indirect universal suffrage |
| Term length | 5 years | 6 years, half renewed every 3 years |
| Can be dissolved by the President | Yes | No |
| Special role | Votes laws as part of Parliament | Its president assures the interim if the presidency falls vacant |
Laws are voted by Parliament, which is made up of the Assemblée nationale (the deputies) and the Sénat (the senators). The President of the Republic promulgates laws but does not vote on them, and the Constitutional Council checks that laws comply with the Constitution.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of the Republic, not elected by citizens. The Prime Minister directs the action of the government, ensures the execution of the laws and is accountable to Parliament. This elected-versus-appointed distinction is one of the most tested points in the theme.
The President of the Republic is elected for 5 years, renewable once consecutively. Deputies serve 5 years, senators 6 years with the Senate renewed by half every three years, and municipal councillors and the mayor serve 6 years. The mayor is elected by the municipal council, not directly by residents.
The prefect (préfet) represents the State in the department. Prefects are appointed by the President of the Republic and ensure the application of the laws and the maintenance of public order. Unlike deputies, prefects are never elected, which makes them a frequent distractor in questions about elections.
A candidate must hold French nationality, be of legal age, enjoy full civic rights and collect 500 sponsorships (parrainages) from elected officials. No previous mandate is required. To vote in the election, you must be French, at least 18 and registered on the electoral rolls.
The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 created the European Union and European citizenship. The EU has 27 member states since the United Kingdom left in 2020, Croatia being the most recent joiner in 2013. The European Parliament sits in Strasbourg, the Commission in Brussels, the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, and the EU motto is Unie dans la diversité.
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