France expands citizens' handbook to help candidates prepare for new tests
New guide triples in size for applicants
Published
France has expanded its official citizenship handbook from 28 to 83 pages, with greater emphasis on republican values, laïcité (state secularism), civic responsibilities and practical aspects of life in France.
The Livret du Citoyen is intended to be studied by applicants before the new civic test, which has been compulsory since the start of this year.
It is also used to prepare for the final prefecture interview for would-be citizens, as was already the case before the introduction of the test.
Greater focus on French values
The more in-depth knowledge potentially required under the formal tests, together with the government's increased emphasis on applicants assimilating to French values and the national community, means the handbook is now three times longer than the previous version.
The earlier edition dated from 2022, but was largely a minor refresh of a 2015 document.
Probably reflecting concerns over Islamist extremism, including the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, the new handbook explicitly states that France has no blasphemy laws and that "everyone has the right to criticise or mock a religion, including by caricature".
It also provides more context and examples to explain what is meant by laïcité.
Practical guidance for everyday life
The booklet contains more detail on key aspects of French culture and history, as well as much more information about everyday matters, from healthcare and driving to work and family life.
It is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to indicate the level of knowledge expected of citizenship applicants.
In practice, however, past experience has shown that prefecture interviews often cover several topics included in the Livret du Citoyen, meaning a close study of the handbook should help anyone applying for French nationality.
The new handbook can be downloaded from the French government's website.
Eight questions based on the government’s free citizenship handbook
1. Freedom of expression has certain limits in France. Name three of them.
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Defamation and public insults; encouragement to commit crimes; incitement to racial, ethnic or religious hatred; using
religion to justify war crimes or terrorism; incitement to discrimination; Holocaust denial.
2. What is the role of the Conseil constitutionnel?
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To ensure new laws comply with the constitution.
3. How many regions does France have in total, including its overseas regions?
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18.
4. What are the three categories of criminal offence?
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Contravention, délit, crime.
5. France launched a new scheme for 18 to 25-year-olds in 2026. What is it called?
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Service militaire volontaire.
6. Name three of France’s major industries.
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Aeronautics and space; fashion and luxury goods; food; energy; pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies; IT; cars.
7. In the context of healthcare reimbursements, what is meant by le tiers payant?
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You do not advance the part of a bill that is covered by state health insurance.
8. In 2023, France introduced a ‘digital age of majority’ for social media use. What age is this?
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15.
