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Comparison of selected legal systems
AttributeParaguayReviewedPeruReviewedComorosReviewedSomaliaIndexed
Legal familyCivil lawCivil lawMixed French civil law and Islamic lawPluralist: Islamic, customary and civil law
System of governmentUnitary presidential republicUnitary semi-presidential republicFederal presidential republicFederal parliamentary republic
ConstitutionConstitution of the Republic of ParaguayPolitical Constitution of PeruConstitution of the Union of the ComorosProvisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia
In force since1992199320012012
CapitalAsunciรณnLimaMoroniMogadishu
Official languagesSpanish, GuaranรญSpanish, Quechua, AymaraComorian, Arabic, FrenchSomali, Arabic
CurrencyParaguayan guaranรญ (PYG)Peruvian sol (PEN)Comorian franc (KMF)Somali shilling (SOS)
Population6,900,00034,000,000850,00018,100,000
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.Unitary and decentralised, with twenty-five regional governments and the Lima Metropolitan Municipality holding elected councils and administrative competence. Peasant and native communities exercise jurisdiction within their territory under Article 149 in coordination with the justices of the peace.Federal. Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohรฉli each have a governor and their own assembly with substantial autonomy over local administration, while the Union handles defence, currency, foreign affairs and nationality.Federal in form, with member states including Puntland, Jubaland, South West, Hirshabelle and Galmudug. The division of powers was left to be settled by later agreement and remains contested, particularly over revenue and security. Somaliland, in the northwest, does not participate and administers its own institutions.
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.Bills come from Congress, the executive, regional governments or citizens. A single chamber debates in committee and plenary; a second vote is required unless exempted. The President may observe a bill, and Congress insists by absolute majority. Constitutional amendment needs an absolute majority in two successive ordinary legislatures, or a two-thirds vote plus referendum.Bills originate with the government or members of the Assembly of the Union, are examined in committee and passed by the Assembly, then promulgated by the President. Matters within island competence are legislated by the island assemblies, and disputes over the boundary between Union and island competence are a standing feature of Comorian constitutional practice.Bills are introduced by the government or members and passed by the House of the People, with the Upper House participating on matters affecting member states, before presidential assent. Because Article 2 subjects all legislation to consistency with Sharia and no court exists to adjudicate that limit, and because member-state legislation operates in parallel, the effective legislative picture cannot be described as unified.
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.A law degree followed by a bachiller and tรญtulo de abogado, then compulsory registration with one of the departmental colegios de abogados, which hold disciplinary power. Registration in one college permits practice nationwide. Notaries are a separate profession appointed by competitive examination.A small bar of avocats admitted after French-model legal training, supplemented by qadis who require religious-law qualification for the personal-status jurisdiction; many practitioners train in France or Madagascar.Advocates practise through the Somali Bar Association and regional bar associations, with legal education rebuilt through universities in Mogadishu, Hargeisa and elsewhere since the 1990s. Many practitioners work across the formal courts and customary forums, since a client's remedy often lies in the latter. Verified current figures on admission and numbers are not available, which is reflected in this entry's status.

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.