Transcript of the video

Will I be able to obtain French nationality?

That's what we're going to find out today.

I was just browsing Facebook when I came across an article in the Le Parisien newspaper.

Quiz: Do you have the level of general knowledge needed to become a French citizen?

When a person wants to become a naturalized French citizen, or obtain French nationality, an interview is held. As part of this interview, questions are asked about the person's knowledge of France, French history and the principles of the French Republic.

You also know, if you've been following me for a while, that I'm Belgian. I live in France, but I'm Belgian. I'm going to take this quiz with you and we'll see if I could get French nationality if I wanted to.

I hope I'm not going to mess up too much, as they say in colloquial French. Screwing upit means failing. So don't hesitate, you too, to take the test and tell me how you scored out of 20 and whether you could, if you wanted to, obtain French nationality.

Of course, this is not the only criterion for this general knowledge quiz. And of course, this is just an example.

First question: Which of these three men has not been President of the Republic? Valérie Giscard d'Estaing, Édouard Balladur, René Coty.

Then I'll answer Édouard Balladur. Good. 1 out of 20.

In which year was the Constitution of the 5th Republic adopted? 1789, 1945 or 1958.

I'd say it's just after the war, but we'll see. No. I've already made a mistake. The Constitution of the 5th Republic, still in force today, was adopted on October 4, 1958. That's a good start.

Who heads the French government? The Prime Minister, the President of the Council or the President of the Republic?

The Prime Minister. Correct answer.

When was the Grande Mosquée de Paris inaugurated? I have no idea. 1872, 1926 or 1983. I'll answer 1983. 1926in the presence of French President Gaston Doumergue and Moroccan Sultan Moulay Youssef.

Who was Auguste Rodin? A painter, a politician, a sculptor. A sculptor, correct answer.

Which of these islands is not in the French West Indies? Saint Lucia, Saint Barthélemy or Martinique? Saint Lucia. Correct answer.

What war does the Battle of Verdun refer to? The First World War, the Algerian War, the Hundred Years' War. The First World War.

Who lives at the Élysée Palace? The Minister of Education, the President of the National Assembly or the President of the Republic? That's an easy one. The President of the Republic.

What is France's political system? A presidential republic, a semi-presidential republic, a constitutional monarchy. What kind of answer is that? Yeah, I would have said presidential, but it's semi, isn't it? Yes, what's semi? I said presidential and the answer was semi-presidential regime. I'm sorry, I don't even know what that is. Frankly, I apologize to all the French people, but I've never heard that before.

To which politician do we owe the creation of free, compulsory, secular public schools? Léon Gambetta, Jules Ferry, Charles de Gaulle. Jules Ferry. That's the right answer.

What is the political system in a country ruled by a king? A republic, a directorial regime, a monarchy. A monarchy is easy for me, because in Belgium, it's a king.

What has Michel Platini been best known for? Soccer, pole vaulting, television. Soccer.

In what year was the Popular Front government formed? 1889, 1918, 1936. The Popular Front government. I'd say 1936. Yes, that's it.

Who do you associate the Arc de Triomphe with? Charlemagne, Napoleon or General de Gaulle. Napoleon, I'd say. Yes, I'd say so.

Who is Jean Moulin? A former President of the Council of the Fourth Republic. The politician responsible for paid vacations. A prefect who joined the Resistance. A prefect who joined the Resistance. Yes, that's right.

In what year did France abolish slavery? 1848, 1905, 1958. I'd still say 1848 because... Yeah, I'd say that. Yes, you would.

At what age is schooling compulsory in France? Three years, six years, eight years. Six years, I think. Really? Three years? That's funny. Because in Belgium, I think it's six. Compulsory school in Belgium. That's what they say, yes. Funny, in Belgium it's five years. I was sure it was like that in Belgium.

Which of these countries was not part of the French colonial empire? Senegal, Ghana, Morocco. Ghana, I'd say.

In what year did France join the European Union? It's one of the founding countries, so 1945, 1957, 1973. It's one of the founding countries, so I'd say 1957.

Who passes the law in France? The National Assembly and the Senate, the ministers, the President of the Republic. That's the National Assembly and the Senate.

Well, not too bad. I don't know how much it takes to get nationality, but frankly, that seems like a pretty honest score. Let me know in the comments if you've taken the quiz too. In fact, I'll put it in the description. That way, you can do it directly on the site and I'm curious to know if you'll do better than me. And even if you're French too, it might be worth taking the test.

If you liked this video, of course, give me a thumbs-up to support my channel and the creation of my videos. See you soon for a French video. Bonne journée.