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.
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| Attribute | Cape VerdeReviewed | SeychellesReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (Portuguese tradition) | Mixed French civil law and English common law |
| System of government | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde | Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles |
| In force since | 1992 | 1993 |
| Capital | Praia | Victoria |
| Official languages | Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole | Seychellois Creole, English, French |
| Currency | Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) | Seychellois rupee (SCR) |
| Population | 600,000 | 130,000 |
| Division of powers | Semi-presidential: a directly elected President with limited powers, a Prime Minister accountable to the National Assembly, and an independent judiciary with a separate Constitutional Court. | Unitary with 27 administrative districts. The outer islands are administered centrally, and the Seychelles' extensive exclusive economic zone is a significant focus of regulation. |
| How law is made | Bills are debated in general and in detail by the National Assembly, voted, then sent to the President for promulgation. The President may veto or request prior constitutional review by the Constitutional Court. | Bills pass the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and receive presidential assent; the President may refer a bill to the Constitutional Court on a question of constitutionality before assent. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments to certain protected provisions additionally require a referendum. |
| Legal profession | Advogados admitted through the Ordem dos Advogados after a law degree and traineeship; notaries and registrars form separate careers on the Portuguese model. | A fused profession of attorneys-at-law admitted by the Supreme Court after a recognised law qualification and pupillage, with the Bar Association of Seychelles representing practitioners. |
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.