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Who holds national sovereignty in France?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: The people, that is the Nation. National sovereignty belongs to the people, that is the Nation. Power comes from the citizens, who vote to choose their representatives. The Declaration of 1789 says so in its article 3. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “Présentation des principaux textes (1/3) : La Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du.
Sources: Sheet “Présentation des principaux textes (1/3) : La Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen” (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 judgesAux jugesJudges apply the laws and deliver justice.
- ✗ The President of the French RepublicAu président de la République françaiseThe President is elected by the citizens: power comes from the people.
- ✗ The GovernmentAu GouvernementThe Government applies the laws and makes sure they are respected.
- ✓ The people, that is the NationAu peuple, c'est-à-dire à la NationCorrect answer. National sovereignty belongs to the people, that is the Nation. Power comes from the citizens, who vote to choose their representatives. The Declaration of 1789 says so in its article 3.
What the source says
« Le principe de toute souveraineté réside essentiellement dans la Nation. »
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: « À qui appartient la souveraineté nationale en France ? ». 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: “À qui appartient la souveraineté nationale ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
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