Original sentence: This is particularily true for communist republics like the (former) Soviet Republics, North Vietnam, North Korea, and China
Edited sentence: ) doctrines can be seen to be at least as determining as a state religion.On the other hand in these communist countries Marxist and/or Stalinist and/or Maoist (etc.This is particularily true for communist republics like the (former) Soviet Republics, North Vietnam, North Korea, China,... probably lack of religion is one of the only factors that approached these republics to (some) western types of republics apart from the name and their anti-monarchism (so not so surprising that France was one of the West European countries that was often closest to many communist regimes)