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 | LiechtensteinReviewed | PanamaReviewed | NigerIndexed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law | Civil law (French tradition) |
| System of government | Semi-constitutional hereditary monarchy with direct democracy | Unitary presidential republic | Republic under military-led government |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein | Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama | Constitution of the Seventh Republic (suspended) |
| In force since | 1921 | 1972 | 2010 |
| Capital | Vaduz | Panama City | Niamey |
| Official languages | German | Spanish | French, Hausa, Zarma |
| Currency | Swiss Franc (CHF) | Balboa (US dollar in circulation) (PAB) | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Population | 40,000 | 4,400,000 | 26,200,000 |
| 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. | Unitary, with ten provinces and five indigenous comarcas. The comarcas — Guna Yala, Emberá-Wounaan, Ngäbe-Buglé, Guna de Madugandí and Guna de Wargandí — hold recognised collective land title and internal authority. | Under the suspended constitution, a semi-presidential system with a President, Prime Minister and National Assembly. Currently executive and legislative authority is concentrated in the CNSP and an appointed government. |
| 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 receive three debates in the National Assembly. The President may object in whole or in part; the Assembly insists with a two-thirds vote, after which the President must promulgate unless the objection was constitutional, in which case the Supreme Court decides. | Legislation is currently made by order of the governing authority and published in the Journal Officiel. The suspended constitution provided for ordinary parliamentary passage and presidential promulgation. |
| 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. | Practice requires a Panamanian law degree and a licence from the Supreme Court; the Colegio Nacional de Abogados is influential but membership is voluntary. Only Panamanian lawyers may appear in court, which is why offshore work is routinely structured through local counsel. | Avocats admitted through the Barreau du Niger after a law degree and traineeship; notaires and huissiers are separate offices. |
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.