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 | MalawiReviewed | SpainReviewed | MaltaReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | English common law with customary law | Civil law | Mixed (civil and common law) |
| System of government | Presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Malawi | Spanish Constitution | Constitution of Malta |
| In force since | 1994 | 1978 | 1964 |
| Capital | Lilongwe | Madrid | Valletta |
| Official languages | English, Chichewa | Spanish | Maltese, English |
| Currency | Malawian kwacha (MWK) | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 20,900,000 | 48,400,000 | 540,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary with three regions and 28 districts administered by local councils. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over customary land and local dispute resolution. | A constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state, an executive led by the President of the Government, a bicameral parliament and an independent judiciary, overlaid by extensive regional self-government. | 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 three readings in the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and are presented for presidential assent, which must be given or withheld within 21 days. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments affecting entrenched provisions additionally require a referendum. | Bills pass both chambers of the Cortes Generales, with the Congress of Deputies able to override the Senate, and receive royal assent. | Bills are passed by the House of Representatives and assented to by the President before publication in the Government Gazette. |
| Legal profession | A fused profession of legal practitioners admitted by the High Court after a law degree, regulated by the Malawi Law Society under the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act. | Abogados belong to local bar associations (colegios de abogados); procuradores represent parties procedurally and notaries authenticate deeds and company acts. | 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.