Vatican City
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- elective ecclesiastical monarchy; self-defined as an "absolute monarchy"
- CONSTITUTION
- February 22, 2001 (Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State, main regulatory act of Vatican civil entities); in June 2018, Pope Francis approved the first draft of the Council of Cardinals for the new apostolic constitution, Predicato Evangelium (Preaching the Gospel); it came into effect on June 5, 2022, replacing Pastor Bonus, the previous governing document of the Roman Curia
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- religious legal system based on canon law (religious); it has not submitted to the jurisdiction of the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court or Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (composed of the cardinal prefect, who serves as the ex officio president of the tribunal, and 2 other cardinals from the Prefectural Signatura); Court of Appeal of the Vatican City; Tribunal of the Vatican City
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic
From the country
- JUNE 9, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, a Honduran, a top...
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, a Honduran, a top Vatican official accused the American media of persecuting the Roman Catholic Church over paedophile priests, but even as he did so a Washington Post survey laid bare the extent of the scandal
- FEBRUARY 15, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
A cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church suggested that...
A cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church suggested that the time may be right for the launch of an international campaign of protest against Sudan for violating human rights, according to reports from the Rome-based international news agency Zenit, which s
- JANUARY 1, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the...
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the twentieth century with hangings taking place during the papacy of Pius IX
- JULY 23, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul II held talks with visiting U
Pope John Paul II held talks with visiting U
- APRIL 28, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul II has asked President Bush to spare...
Pope John Paul II has asked President Bush to spare the life of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who is scheduled to be executed on May 16
- FEBRUARY 22, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished from the constitution...
The death penalty was abolished from the constitution of the Vatican City State
- JANUARY 1, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the...
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the twentieth century with hangings taking place during the papacy of Pius IX
- NOVEMBER 3, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul said in an address to Ministers from...
Pope John Paul said in an address to Ministers from the 41 countries of the Council of Europe who were in Rome to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the European Convention on Human Rights, that the Council of Europe has succeeded in having
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul renewed appeals to U
Pope John Paul renewed appeals to U
- JULY 25, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul asked the governor of the U
Pope John Paul asked the governor of the U
- JUNE 16, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
In a statement, the Vatican said it was happy about...
In a statement, the Vatican said it was happy about the acquittal but noted that thousands of other prisoners were still languishing in jails
- JUNE 14, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Senior Roman Catholic Church figures closed ranks in...
Senior Roman Catholic Church figures closed ranks in support of Bishop Augustin Misago, accused of helping to plan the 1994 genocide in Rwanda