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 | SpainReviewed | AustraliaReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Common law |
| System of government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Spanish Constitution | Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act |
| In force since | 1978 | 1901 |
| Capital | Madrid | Canberra |
| Official languages | Spanish | English |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Australian Dollar (AUD) |
| Population | 48,400,000 | 26,800,000 |
| Division of powers | A constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state, an executive led by the President of the Government, a bicameral parliament and an independent judiciary, overlaid by extensive regional self-government. | Chapter III strictly separates federal judicial power; the High Court polices the boundary and may invalidate legislation for exceeding it. |
| How law is made | Bills pass both chambers of the Cortes Generales, with the Congress of Deputies able to override the Senate, and receive royal assent. | Bills pass both chambers and receive Royal Assent. A persistent deadlock can trigger a double dissolution and, ultimately, a joint sitting. |
| Legal profession | Abogados belong to local bar associations (colegios de abogados); procuradores represent parties procedurally and notaries authenticate deeds and company acts. | Admission is state-based but nationally recognised; practitioners may be admitted as barristers and solicitors, with an independent bar in most states. |
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.