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Which institution must stay neutral towards religions?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: The State. The State must stay neutral. It recognises no religion and finances no worship. Local authorities and public services are also neutral. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “La définition de la laïcité (1/2)” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “La définition de la laïcité (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
- ✓ The StateL'ÉtatCorrect answer. The State must stay neutral. It recognises no religion and finances no worship. Local authorities and public services are also neutral.
- ✗ A churchUne égliseA church is a religious organisation, separate from the State.
- ✗ A place of worshipUn lieu de culteA place of worship is a religious place, separate from the State.
- ✗ A religious communityUne communauté religieuseA religious community is separate from the State and organises itself independently.
What the source says
« Conséquence de cette séparation : l’État, mais aussi les collectivités territoriales et les services publics, sont neutres vis-à-vis des religions. »
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 institution doit rester neutre à l'égard des religions ? ». 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 institution française doit rester neutre en matière de religion ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “La définition de la laïcité (1/2)” (French).
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