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 | NamibiaReviewed | GhanaReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (French tradition) | Mixed Roman-Dutch and English common law | Mixed (common law and customary law) |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic | Semi-presidential republic | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Senegal | Constitution of the Republic of Namibia | Constitution of the Republic of Ghana |
| In force since | 2001 | 1990 | 1992 |
| Capital | Dakar | Windhoek | Accra |
| Official languages | French, Wolof, Pulaar, Serer | English | English, Akan, Ewe, Dagbani |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) | Namibian dollar (NAD) | Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) |
| Population | 17,700,000 | 2,600,000 | 34,100,000 |
| 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. | Unitary with 14 administrative regions and elected regional councils, which also constitute the National Council, the upper chamber. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over communal land and customary law. | Executive president with a Cabinet drawn substantially from Parliament, a unicameral legislature, and a judiciary whose independence is protected by security of tenure and a charged-on-consolidated-fund salary. |
| 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 pass the National Assembly through three readings, then go to the National Council for review. The Council may confirm, propose amendments, or object; the Assembly can override an objection by a two-thirds majority. The President then assents, and constitutional amendments require two-thirds of both chambers and may never diminish the rights chapter. | A bill is gazetted, read three times, considered by committee and passed by simple majority. Bills with financial implications need presidential consent to be introduced. The President assents; refusal returns the bill with reasons. |
| 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 fused profession under the Legal Practitioners Act: a single class of legal practitioner is admitted after a law degree and the Justice Training Centre's postgraduate course, and the Law Society of Namibia regulates practice. | Fused: an LLB, the Ghana School of Law professional course and enrolment admit a lawyer who may both solicit and advocate. |
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.