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A person loses their civic and political rights for 5 years after a conviction. What can they not do?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: Vote in an election. They cannot vote in an election. To vote, you must have your civic and political rights. A person sentenced to prison can lose them. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “Les conditions pour voter en France (1/2)” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “Les conditions pour voter en France (1/2)” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✓ Vote in an electionVoter à une électionCorrect answer. They cannot vote in an election. To vote, you must have your civic and political rights. A person sentenced to prison can lose them.
- ✗ Stay free to believe or not to believeRester libre de croire ou de ne pas croireFreedom of religion is a fundamental right for all.
- ✗ Ask for a lawyer if accusedDemander un avocat si elle est accuséeDefence rights stay the same for everyone.
- ✗ Have their dignity respectedAvoir droit au respect de sa dignitéFundamental rights stay the same for everyone.
What the source says
« ayant leurs droits civiques et politiques »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Une personne perd ses droits civiques et politiques pendant 5 ans après une condamnation. Que ne peut-elle pas faire ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Une personne est privée de ses droits civils et politiques pendant 5 ans suite à une condamnation.”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “Les conditions pour voter en France (1/2)” (French).
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