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 | LiechtensteinReviewed | MaltaReviewed | KuwaitReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Mixed (civil and common law) | Mixed (civil law and Islamic law) |
| System of government | Semi-constitutional hereditary monarchy with direct democracy | Unitary parliamentary republic | Unitary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein | Constitution of Malta | Constitution of the State of Kuwait |
| In force since | 1921 | 1964 | 1962 |
| Capital | Vaduz | Valletta | Kuwait City |
| Official languages | German | Maltese, English | Arabic |
| Currency | Swiss Franc (CHF) | Euro (EUR) | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) |
| Population | 40,000 | 540,000 | 4,300,000 |
| Division of powers | A unitary state of eleven communes, which retain a constitutional right of secession. Power is shared between the Prince, the Landtag and the electorate: 1,000 citizens can demand a referendum on a law and 1,500 can initiate a constitutional amendment. EEA membership adds a supranational layer supervised by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA Court. | A parliamentary republic with a ceremonial President, a Cabinet led by the Prime Minister answerable to the House of Representatives and an independent judiciary. | Unitary. Six governorates administered by appointed governors, with no legislative competence. |
| How law is made | A bill is debated and adopted by the Landtag, then requires the sanction of the Reigning Prince, whose refusal is absolute and not overridable. Statutes may be subjected to a referendum on the demand of 1,000 citizens or of the Landtag itself, and are published in the Landesgesetzblatt. | Bills are passed by the House of Representatives and assented to by the President before publication in the Government Gazette. | Under the constitution as designed, bills passed by the National Assembly required Emiri sanction, and the Emir could return a bill for reconsideration which the Assembly could override by a two-thirds majority. With the Assembly dissolved and the relevant articles suspended since May 2024, legislation is made by Emiri decree on the proposal of the Council of Ministers and published in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Youm). |
| Legal profession | Rechtsanwälte are admitted by the Liechtenstein Bar Association after a law degree, a supervised traineeship and the bar examination; qualifications from Austria and Switzerland are widely recognised. Trustees (Treuhänder) are a distinct and significant regulated profession given the importance of foundations and asset structures. | Advocates are admitted to the bar after a law degree and warrant; legal procurators and notaries handle procedural filing and authentication of deeds. | Advocacy is reserved to Kuwaiti nationals enrolled with the Ministry of Justice and the Kuwait Bar Association, with foreign lawyers acting as consultants and unable to appear; pleadings are in Arabic. Judges are appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, and a significant proportion of the bench has historically been seconded from other Arab states. Notarial authentication at the Ministry of Justice is required for powers of attorney, property transfers and company formation documents. |
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.