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 | SenegalReviewed | MauritaniaReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (French tradition) | Mixed (Islamic law and French civil law) |
| System of governmentIdentical | Unitary presidential republic | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Senegal | Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania |
| In force since | 2001 | 1991 |
| Capital | Dakar | Nouakchott |
| Official languages | French, Wolof, Pulaar, Serer | Arabic, French, Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) | Ouguiya (MRU) |
| Population | 17,700,000 | 4,900,000 |
| 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. | Presidential system with a President elected for five years, a unicameral National Assembly since the 2017 abolition of the Senate, and a judiciary that includes Sharia jurisdiction in personal status and certain criminal matters. |
| 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 are examined in committee and voted by the National Assembly, then promulgated by the President. The Conseil constitutionnel may be seised before promulgation. |
| 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. | Avocats admitted through the Ordre national des avocats; training combines French-style procedure with Islamic legal studies. |
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.