Conduit was built around sled in the past. It has been depreciated in favor of sqlite as sled was using too much memory. (and sqlite is used as a key-value storage)
As there is now an interface allowing to add several storage backend, more backends could be added later (for instance a real key-value storage rather than a RDBMS used as a KV-store)
They use their own matrix client : tchap. They also use their own app store (not sure what it's based on)
Therefore, French ministry that use matrix may not be affected
As far as I know it's based on element or at least co-develop by the element so while their "business" should not be affected directly. The secondary affects this will have if it continuous does affect them indirectly I think.
The more worrying think that this is by far not the first time Google (or Apple) have taken down clients to "non http" networks. Sometimes blaming them for content on the network sometimes not saying anything. Which lets be honest is absurd given that they would have to delete all web-browsers using this arguments.
As there is now an interface allowing to add several storage backend, more backends could be added later (for instance a real key-value storage rather than a RDBMS used as a KV-store)
(according to the article)