View source for Royal Charter of the Balancín Kingdoms

The '''Royal Charter of the Balancín Kingdoms''' is the supreme law of the [[Balancín Kingdoms]]. Written and signed by [[Maximilian II|King Maximilian II "the Crusader"]], the Royal Charter outlines the structure of government for the Balancín Kingdoms, including the self-imposed limits of power for the monarchy, as well as the rights and powers of Parliament. The Royal Charter also provides certain "responsibilities of the state", which are intended to be guides for normative objectives for future Balancín governments.

The Royal Charter is comprised of 7 articles. Those articles cover the matter of: the establishment of the Kingdoms, the Monarchy, the responsibilities of the state, Parliament, Government, the succession and future considerations, the devolution of power to local governments. Each article is comprised of provisions, which are individually referable as statues of law. 

== Article I: Relating to the establishment of the Balancín Kingdoms ==
Article I outlines what the Balancín Kingdoms is and what it is comprised of. It includes;

* A list of the constituent Kingdoms, sectors, and principalities which make up the Kingdom;
* The ability of the King to expand the Kingdoms by royal decree;
* The designation of [[Rockfield|Balancía]] as the Kingdoms' capital;
* The designation that the Kingdoms is a monarchy, with the system of government revolving around the King;
* The power of the King to grant and revoke citizenship;
* The right of peoples born to Balancín citizens to citizenship;
* The coat of arms and national colours;
* The national languages to be English and Spanish; and
* The state religion to be Christianity.

== Article II: Relating to the Monarchy ==
Article II outlines the [[Balancín Monarchy]], or Crown Corporation, as it exists within the constitutional framework of the Balancín Kingdoms. It includes;

* The status of the King as the Head of State;
* The Seal of the King as a sign of the King's authority;
* The structure of a coronation, including its relation to the Pontifical Church;
* The criteria for being King, including that he must be male, a member of the Pontifical Church, and a royal-line descendant;
* The status of the King as Legate of the Balancín Church Rite;
* The requirement that international treaties must have the approval of the King;
* The requirement that new laws must have the approval of the King;
* The ability of the King to enforce the laws of the Balancín Kingdoms;
* The ability of the King, in emergency situations, to by-pass restrictions for security purposes;
* The ability of the King to appoint members of the judiciary;
* The right of the King to give legal pardons, grant commutations, and to quash police investigations;
* The status of the King as commander-in-chief of the armed forces;
* The restriction that the King's use of his pardoning power requires the consent of Parliament if it concerns a Minister of the Crown; and
* The structure of the King's oath to the Balancín Kingdoms and the Pontifical Church.

== Article III: Relating to the responsibilities of the State ==
Article III outlines the areas in which the Balancín Kingdoms has particular responsibilities to the citizenry or the nation. It includes;

* The responsibility of the state for the promotion of the overall welfare of the citizenry;
* The rights of the citizens to be safeguarded, and to have religious, moral, and economic freedom;
* The responsibility of the state for the education of the citizenry;
* The structure of education's administration being through the church and having certain religious and moral requirements, including patriotic education;
* The universality of education and instruction;
* The permissibility of private education, provided it conforms to certain legal governance;
* The requirement of the state to financially support the education of talented members of the citizenry;
* The responsibility of the state for the public health;
* The structure of healthcare's administration being through the state and the church;
* The universality of access to healthcare;
* The requirement of the state to protect workers from prejudice in the workplace;
* The responsibility of the state to ensure that taxation is equitable and exempts a minimum subsistence level; and
* The responsibility of the state to protect the material rights of citizens who are undergoing proceedings in the criminal justice system.

== Article IV: Relating to Parliament ==
Article IV outlines the role and operations of Parliament. It includes;

* The status of Parliament as the legislative branch of the government;
* The role of Parliament in representing the different aspects of Balancín society;
* The role of Parliament in carrying out the state's responsibilities as outlined in Article III;
* The requirement that the rights and powers of Parliament may only be invoked or employed in a session of both houses of Parliament that has been summoned by the King;
* The structure of Parliament, including that there be two houses (the King's Court and the General Court);
* The status of the King's Court as the house of nobility and the clergy;
* The status of the General Court as the house of representation for the citizenry, the Guilded Class, the Merchant Class, and the Third Sector of charity, culture, and learning;
* The requirement that representatives of the general citizenry must be elected democratically;
* The structure of titles for members of both houses of Parliament, including the title of MP for members of the General Court, and the title of Peer for members of the King's Court;
* The restriction that members of the General Court cannot also sit as members of the King's Court and vice versa;
* The restriction that members of the Royal Family cannot sit as members of the General Court;
* The right of Parliament to outline taxation and the budget in law;
* The requirement of Parliament to ensure a Sovereign Grant is fixed into law;
* The role of the King in the summoning, convening, closing, proroguing, and dissolving of Parliament;
* The role of the Lord President of the respective chambers of Parliament;
* The rules governing the election of a new Parliament;
* The rules in the event of the "death of the crown", in which Parliament would be automatically dissolved;
* The rules that members of both houses of Parliament must attend regularly to sessions;
* The right of members of both houses of Parliament to protection from arrest without the consent of Parliament;
* The process of impeachment for members of the government and ministers of the Crown;
* The restriction that Parliament cannot revoke noble titles granted by the King without the King's consent;
* The restriction that any motion of no-confidence in the government cannot mandate the government's resignation; and
* The principle that any matter not addressed by the Royal Charter shall be determined by law and thus by Parliament.

== Article V: Relating to the Government ==
Article V outlines the structure of government outside of Parliament and the Monarchy. It includes;

* The status of the government as an operative of the King and his authority;
* The ability of the government to, with his consent, hold the King's Seal;
* The role of the Lord Keeper as head of the government and most senior advisor to the King;
* The ability of the Lord Keeper to advise in all appointments to positions of government;
* The responsibility of the government to seek the support of Parliament;
* The responsibility of members of the government to seek membership of either house of Parliament if not already held;
* The requirement of the government to be scrutinised by Parliament and the King; and
* The role of the government in the administration of the state, including through fiscal matters in which the Lord Treasurer is outlined to advise. 

== Article VI: Relating to the succession and other considerations ==
Article VI outlines how noble and royal titles should be passed on, as well as other considerations such as amending the Royal Charter itself. It includes;

* The status of laws of succession as special and exempt from the typical process of passing new laws;
* The requirement that laws of succession require special dispensation from the King and a special Council of the Nobility;
* The status of different types of laws of succession, namely laws regarding the succession of the Crown and other types of succession;
* The requirement that the succession of the Crown must be marked by an ascension council of ministers of the Crown, members of both houses of Parliament, and the Nobility;
* The responsibility of the ascension council to proclaim the new King and arrange appropriate oaths of fealty;
* The structure of non-Crown inheritance being male-preference primogeniture, in which female descendants of the incumbent are only eligible provided there is no male descendant of the incumbent;
* The right of the King to decree a special dispensation, making an heir ineligible;
* The status of the succession as a legally bound contractual procedure;
* The restriction that the inheritance of land cannot be split between multiple heirs; and
* The requirement that all inheritance disputes must be settled by royal dispensation.

== Article VII: Relating to the devolution of power ==
Article VII is the shortest and outlines how power can be devolved to local administration in the Balancín Kingdoms. It includes;

* The creation of the Principality of the Newton;
* The creation of the title "Prince of the Newton" and the powers and responsibilities associated with it; and
* The ability of Parliament and the King to devolve powers to certain local authorities, including Nobility and landowners, for the execution of certain administrative tasks of government.