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Category: Global Law

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FALQs: The Swedish Sami Parliament Elections

Posted by: Elin Hofverberg

This blogpost is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series and describes the Swedish Sami Parliament election. This upcoming Sunday, May 16, 2021, the Sami Parliament (Sametinget) in Sweden holds its general election. The date also marks the 18th anniversary of the first Swedish Sami Parliament election in 1993. 1. What is the Sami Parliament …

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Join Us for our Upcoming Webinar: “Central Bank Digital Currencies – the Future of the Monetary System?”

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Technology and digitalization are changing the way we pay. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the trend away from cash to digital payments. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are experiencing an all-time high. Central banks are taking note. On October 20, 2020, the Central Bank of The Bahamas launched the first worldwide retail central bank digital …

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New Report on Recognition of Foreign Passports Published

Posted by: Elin Hofverberg

We recently published a report on the Recognition of Foreign Passports on our website. The report, produced by specialists and analysts of the Global Legal Research Directorate, surveys 20 jurisdictions around the world as well as international law, and focuses on the rules and approaches for recognizing foreign passports. In addition, the report covers the …

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Happy Walpurgis Eve!

Posted by: Elin Hofverberg

Today, April 30, marks Walpurgis or Valborgsmässoafton. A holiday celebrated in, among other places, Germany and Sweden. The name is derived from the Saint Walpurgis. In Sweden, the Swedish form of Walpurgis, Valborg, has her name day on May 1, making April 30 the Eve of Walpurgis. The holiday, marked by bonfires, singing, and a welcoming …

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Join Our Newest Crowdsourcing Campaign: Historical Legal Reports from the Law Library of Congress

Posted by: Kelly Goles

Calling all students of history, government, law, public policy, international relations, and other interested members of the public – help us expand access to hundreds of previously unreleased legal reports and other publications from the Law Library of Congress dating back to the 1940s! We are excited to launch our second crowdsourcing campaign with By …

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50 Years of Women’s Suffrage in Switzerland

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

This year, Switzerland celebrates 50 years of women’s suffrage. In a referendum held on February 7, 1971, 65.7 % of (male) voters approved the right of Swiss women to vote and stand for election at the federal level. As a result, article 74 of the Swiss Constitution was amended to state in paragraph 1: Bei …

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Stuck in the Suez Canal – What are the Legal Implications?

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

The following is a joint guest post by Elizabeth Boomer, an international law consultant, and George Sadek, a foreign law specialist, from the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. On March 29, 2021, the engineers of the Suez Canal Authority were finally able to restore passage through the Suez Canal after a 1,300-foot, 220,000-ton …

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FALQs: The Controversy Over Marriage and Anti-Conversion Laws in India

Posted by: Hanibal Goitom

The following is a guest post by Tariq Ahmad, a foreign law specialist in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. He has previously contributed posts on Islamic Law in Pakistan – Global Legal Collection Highlights, the Law Library’s 2013 Panel Discussion on Islamic Law, Sedition Law in India, and FALQ posts on Proposals to Reform Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws, Article 370 …