Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | AustriaReviewed | PortugalReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal familyIdentical | Civil law | Civil law |
| System of government | Federal parliamentary republic | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Constitution | Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz (B-VG) | Constitution of the Portuguese Republic |
| In force since | 1920 | 1976 |
| Capital | Vienna | Lisbon |
| Official languages | German | Portuguese |
| CurrencyIdentical | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 9,100,000 | 10,400,000 |
| Division of powers | Nine Länder hold their own constitutions, parliaments and governments, but the federation retains far more legislative power than in Germany or Switzerland; much Länder activity is administering federal law (mittelbare Bundesverwaltung). Three separate high courts sit at the apex, for constitutional, administrative and ordinary matters respectively. | A semi-presidential republic in which a directly elected President, a Government answerable to parliament and an independent judiciary share power, with a Constitutional Court guarding the constitution. |
| How law is made | Bills originate with the government, members of the Nationalrat, the Bundesrat or a popular initiative, and pass three readings in the Nationalrat. The Bundesrat may object but can normally be overridden. The Federal President authenticates the law, the Chancellor countersigns, and it is published in the Bundesgesetzblatt. | Laws are passed by the Assembly of the Republic and promulgated by the President, who may veto a bill or refer it to the Constitutional Court. |
| Legal profession | A Rechtsanwalt qualifies through a law degree, five years of practical training including at least three in a law firm and some months at court, and the bar examination. Admission is via the regional bar chambers under the umbrella of the Österreichischer Rechtsanwaltskammertag. Notaries are a separate profession with appointments limited in number. | Advogados belong to the Ordem dos Advogados; solicitadores and notaries handle registration and authentication of deeds and companies. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.