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 | São Tomé and PrÃncipeIndexed | PortugalReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (Portuguese tradition) | Civil law |
| System of governmentIdentical | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and PrÃncipe | Constitution of the Portuguese Republic |
| In force since | 1990 | 1976 |
| Capital | São Tomé | Lisbon |
| Official languagesIdentical | Portuguese | Portuguese |
| Currency | São Tomé and PrÃncipe Dobra (STN) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 230,000 | 10,400,000 |
| Division of powers | Semi-presidential: a directly elected President with veto and dissolution powers, a Prime Minister accountable to the National Assembly, and an independent judiciary. | A semi-presidential republic in which a directly elected President, a Government answerable to parliament and an independent judiciary share power, with a Constitutional Court guarding the constitution. |
| How law is made | Bills are debated and voted by the National Assembly and sent to the President for promulgation; the President may veto, returning the text with a message. | Laws are passed by the Assembly of the Republic and promulgated by the President, who may veto a bill or refer it to the Constitutional Court. |
| Legal profession | Advogados admitted through the Ordem dos Advogados; the profession is very small and many practitioners train in Portugal. | Advogados belong to the Ordem dos Advogados; solicitadores and notaries handle registration and authentication of deeds and companies. |
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.