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 | BrazilReviewed | DR CongoReviewed | MaltaReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law (Belgian tradition) | Mixed (civil and common law) |
| System of government | Federal presidential republic | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Constitution | Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil | Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | Constitution of Malta |
| In force since | 1988 | 2006 | 1964 |
| Capital | Brasília | Kinshasa | Valletta |
| Official languages | Portuguese | French, Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba | Maltese, English |
| Currency | Brazilian Real (BRL) | Congolese Franc (CDF) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 217,000,000 | 102,300,000 | 540,000 |
| Division of powers | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. | Semi-presidential: a directly elected President, a Prime Minister from the parliamentary majority, and a bicameral Parliament. The 2006 constitution split the former Supreme Court into three separate apex courts. | A parliamentary republic with a ceremonial President, a Cabinet led by the Prime Minister answerable to the House of Representatives and an independent judiciary. |
| How law is made | Bills pass both chambers, with the initiating chamber reviewing amendments; the President may veto in whole or part, and Congress may override in joint session. | Bills pass both chambers; persistent disagreement is resolved by a joint commission or a final National Assembly vote. The President promulgates within the constitutional period, and the Constitutional Court may be seised beforehand. | Bills are passed by the House of Representatives and assented to by the President before publication in the Government Gazette. |
| Legal profession | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. | Avocats admitted to provincial bars under the national Ordre des avocats after a law degree and traineeship; défenseurs judiciaires assist in lower courts. | Advocates are admitted to the bar after a law degree and warrant; legal procurators and notaries handle procedural filing and authentication of deeds. |
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.