Rights, Obligations, and Civic Duties of Citizens
Rights and duties
Citizenship carries civil and political rights: equality before the law, life and liberty, fair trial, freedom of expression, religion, assembly and association, property, privacy, and the right to vote at 18. Social rights and protections are also part of the constitutional and legal order. EU citizenship adds free movement and voting rights in European and local elections for eligible EU citizens. Duties include obeying the law, paying taxes, respecting the rights of others, protecting the environment, and participating responsibly in public life. Some obligations attach to particular statuses, such as military service for certain male citizens; do not generalise without checking the current rule.
Traps
Questions often blur rights and duties. Free speech is a right; paying tax is a duty. Voting is both a right and a civic responsibility; do not assume it is optional in every context or that it is compulsory without checking. Another trap is age: voting is 18, but other rights and responsibilities have different thresholds. Distinguish national citizenship from EU citizenship and from residency.
Worked example: A question asks which is an obligation rather than a right. “Respecting the rights of others” is an obligation; “joining a political party” is a right. If an option says “the right to pay taxes,” it is a category error.
Rule of thumb: classify each item as right, duty, or both, then check the age and status condition attached to it.