The Spanish legal system is based on the tradition of civil law and is characterised by the coexistence of various territorial legislative systems.
Specifically, the Spanish State is divided into 17 administrative territories or Autonomous Regions (Comunidades Autónomas), six of which have their own developed civil law. These Autonomous Regions are Aragon, Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Navarre, Basque Country and Galicia. The rest of the Autonomous Regions, which have not developed their own special civil law, are governed by the Royal Decree of 24 July 1889, which publishes the Civil Code (hereinafter, ‘CC’).
The submission of Spanish citizens to the Civil Code or to special or regional law, shall be determined by the personal law of each individual, known as civil citizenship (Vecindad Civil). Civil citizenship is regulated in Article 14 CC and constitutes the connecting point that structures the Spanish system of interregional law. Therefore, civil citizenship is essential in determining which civil law will be applicable to an individual regarding matters such as marriage, inheritance and other aspects of civil law.
You can read the full article at: International Succession Laws, July 2026.
July 1, 2026
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