Latvia is a multi-ethnic country, although the proportion of the different ethnic groups among its population has varied. Ethnic origin is recorded in the population register. It is based on the ethnicity of either of a person's parents and can be changed upon reaching the age of majority by...

There have been significant social and political changes in Spain over the past 45 years. Major transformations have taken place in the country's social structure, creating a much more diverse society in ethnic and religious (and other) terms. Two of the major interrelated changes have been a...

The Austrian federal legislature has implemented legislation covering the complete scope of the directives. In the area of employment (public and private), all the grounds are protected. Ethnic affiliation and disability are further protected grounds in the area of access to and supply of goods...

The national legal system in Liechtenstein is - corresponding to its Constitution - a constitutional hereditary monarchy based on democracy and parliamentary government. Parliament (Landtag) is the representative body of the nation. Its main task is to pass legislation. For a law to enter into...

The German legal system is a federal constitutional system. The centre of legal thought and practice is the parliamentary statute, but the legislator is bound by the Federal or State Constitution. The system is hierarchical: federal law takes precedence over state law, and the Federal...

The Republic of Lithuania is a unitary state where legislative authority is vested in the central Government. The regulatory authority is vested in the Parliament (the Seimas), whereas the implementation and execution of legislation are among the main competences of the Government (Vyriausybė)...

Due to several factors, which include the low level of legal awareness in Polish society; people's passivity (and sometimes fear) around seeking to uphold their rights; and a lack of systematic research, it is impossible to assess the real scale of discrimination in Poland. Research commissioned...