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 | SenegalReviewed | ComorosReviewed | SeychellesReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (French tradition) | Mixed French civil law and Islamic law | Mixed French civil law and English common law |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic | Federal presidential republic | Presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Senegal | Constitution of the Union of the Comoros | Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles |
| In force since | 2001 | 2001 | 1993 |
| Capital | Dakar | Moroni | Victoria |
| Official languages | French, Wolof, Pulaar, Serer | Comorian, Arabic, French | Seychellois Creole, English, French |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) | Comorian franc (KMF) | Seychellois rupee (SCR) |
| Population | 17,700,000 | 850,000 | 130,000 |
| Division of powers | A strong executive presidency with a Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, a unicameral National Assembly, and a judiciary in which the Conseil constitutionnel, Cour suprême and Cour des comptes occupy separate apexes. | Federal. Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli each have a governor and their own assembly with substantial autonomy over local administration, while the Union handles defence, currency, foreign affairs and nationality. | Unitary with 27 administrative districts. The outer islands are administered centrally, and the Seychelles' extensive exclusive economic zone is a significant focus of regulation. |
| How law is made | Bills originate with the government or deputies, are examined in committee and voted in plenary. The President promulgates within the constitutional period or refers the text to the Conseil constitutionnel. | 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 pass the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and receive presidential assent; the President may refer a bill to the Constitutional Court on a question of constitutionality before assent. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments to certain protected provisions additionally require a referendum. |
| Legal profession | Avocats are admitted to the Ordre des avocats du Sénégal after a law degree, the CFPA professional course and a traineeship. Notaires and huissiers are separate regulated professions. | 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. | A fused profession of attorneys-at-law admitted by the Supreme Court after a recognised law qualification and pupillage, with the Bar Association of Seychelles representing practitioners. |
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.