One Key Similarity Between France and the United States: Both Are Republics

Shared Republican Tradition

The most fundamental similarity between France and the United States is that both are republics.

A republic is a form of government in which:

• The country is considered a "public matter" (res publica), not the private property of rulers.
• Sovereignty rests with the people or their elected representatives.
• Head of state is elected (president), not hereditary.
• Rule of law and constitutional governance prevail.

France (since 1792, with interruptions) and the U.S. (since 1776) have each championed republican ideals—liberty, equality, popular sovereignty—inspiring democratic movements worldwide.