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How long is the term of the President of the French Republic?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: 5 years. The President's term lasts 5 years, called the quinquennat. Before, it lasted 7 years. The President is elected directly by the citizens. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “Les présidents de la Vème République” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “Les présidents de la Vème République” (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
- ✗ 4 years4 ansThis is not the length of the term: it lasts 5 years.
- ✗ 6 years6 ans6 years is the term of senators and local councillors.
- ✓ 5 years5 ansCorrect answer. The President's term lasts 5 years, called the quinquennat. Before, it lasted 7 years. The President is elected directly by the citizens.
- ✗ 7 years7 ansThe term was 7 years before the switch to the quinquennat.
What the source says
« Passage au quinquennat présidentiel (mandat de 5 ans, contre 7 ans auparavant). »
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: « Quelle est la durée du mandat du président de la République française ? ». 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: “Quelle est la durée du mandat du Président de la République française ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “Les présidents de la Vème République” (French).
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