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Comparison of selected legal systems
AttributeParaguayReviewedLibyaIndexedSaudi ArabiaReviewed
Legal familyCivil lawCivil law with Islamic law as a sourceIslamic law
System of governmentUnitary presidential republicProvisional government with contested authorityUnitary Islamic absolute monarchy
ConstitutionConstitution of the Republic of ParaguayConstitutional Declaration (interim)Basic Law of Governance
In force since199220111992
CapitalAsunciรณnTripoliRiyadh
Official languagesSpanish, GuaranรญArabicArabic
CurrencyParaguayan guaranรญ (PYG)Libyan dinar (LYD)Saudi riyal (SAR)
Population6,900,0006,900,00036,900,000
Division of powersUnitary with seventeen departments and the capital district, each with an elected governor and departmental board holding administrative and limited fiscal competence. Legislative power is national.Nominally unitary with governorates and municipalities. In practice authority is divided between competing administrations and local armed actors, and municipal councils have in many places become the most functional layer of government.Unitary. Thirteen provinces headed by governors drawn from the royal family and appointed by the King, each with an appointed provincial council. No legislative competence exists below the national level.
How law is madeBills may start in either chamber and must pass both. The President may object in whole or part; Congress overcomes an objection by absolute majority in both chambers. Constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber and ratification by referendum; wholesale reform requires a constituent assembly.There is no single functioning legislative process. The House of Representatives passes laws that the High Council of State contests, and the rival administrations issue decrees within their areas of control. Whether a given instrument is law therefore depends on which authority is recognised, which is exactly why this profile is marked as requiring research rather than described as settled.There is no legislature with power to enact law. Proposals originate in ministries or the Shura Council, are considered by the Council of Ministers, and take effect as royal decrees signed by the King and published in Umm al-Qura. The Shura Council may study and recommend but its resolutions require royal approval, and the King may legislate without consulting it.
Legal professionA law degree and registration of the title with the Supreme Court, which maintains the roll and exercises discipline. Bar membership is voluntary. Because both Spanish and Guaranรญ are official, courts must provide interpretation, and practitioners outside Asunciรณn are commonly bilingual.Advocates are admitted through the Libyan Bar Association, and the profession has continued to function, including in human-rights litigation, despite serious risks to practitioners. Judicial appointments run through the Supreme Judicial Council. Reliable current information on admission requirements and numbers is limited, which is reflected in the verification status of this entry.Advocates are licensed under the Code of Law Practice and must be Saudi nationals to appear in court, though licensed foreign firms may advise and now associate more freely following the 2024 opening. Judges are appointed from graduates of Sharia faculties by the Supreme Judicial Council and the King. Notarisation is a judicial function performed by notaries within the Ministry of Justice, and most commercial documentation must be executed in Arabic to be enforceable onshore.

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 โ€” the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.