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French civic exam 2026, Rights and duties

Why can individual freedoms be limited?

An official question of the French civic exam, with its answer and the official text that proves it, in French and English.

Multi-year residence permit no. 102

Pourquoi les libertés individuelles peuvent-elles être limitées ?

Why can individual freedoms be limited?

Answer. To protect life in society, meaning the rights of others, public order and the general interest.

Pour protéger la vie en société, c'est-à-dire les droits des autres, l'ordre public et l'intérêt général.

A freedom without limits could hurt others. The law therefore limits freedoms so that everyone can live in safety and peace.

The official text that proves it

« Cependant, ces droits et libertés ont une limite pour protéger la vie en société. Nos droits et libertés individuels sont limités par les droits des autres : "La liberté consiste à faire tout ce qui ne nuit pas à autrui" (article 4 de la DDHC). »

However, these rights and freedoms have a limit in order to protect life in society. Our individual rights and freedoms are limited by the rights of others. Liberty consists of doing anything that does not harm others (article 4 of the DDHC).

In French, with its English meaning. read the official sheet

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Questions from the official lists of the French Ministry of the Interior, quotations from the civic training sheets, the Constitution and the 1789 Declaration, Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0. This is not a government site. The official sheets are free, in French, on formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr.