View source for Balder

{{infobox diplomatic region
| conventional_long_name = The Realm of Balder
| flag = [[File:Balder 119935.png|thumb]]
| org_type = Constitutional Monarchy
| current_delegate = North East Somerset
| title_leader = Statsminister
| current_leader = J.S. Talleyrand
| alignment = Imperialist
| military = Jomsvikings
| treaties = Inter-Regional Chat, The West Pacific, The Land of Kings and Emperors, The North Pacific, The Pacific, The East Pacific, Europeia, United Kingdom, The Communist Bloc
| region_link = [https://www.nationstates.net/region=balder link]
| forum_link = [https://balder.boards.net/ link]
| discord_link = [https://discord.gg/N8Y2uSd link]
}}

[https://www.nationstates.net/region=balder Balder] is the game-created sinker region founded in 2011 following database errors from the excess size of [https://www.nationstates.net/region=lazarus Lazarus], which was previously the only region into which revived nations could spawn. Balder is a constitutional monarchy, an Imperialist region, and is a member of [https://www.nationstates.net/region=world_assembly_legislative_league the World Assembly Legislative League]. 

==History==

Balder has an extensive history as an Imperialist region, and is a former treaty ally of the Coalition. However, following a period of prolonged tensions, the treaty was repealed in March 2017. After a period of having no diplomatic relations, the South Pacific and Balder declared Détente, marking a formal declaration of respect for one another's sovereignty and communities, including opening in-game embassies and beginning an ambassador exchange ([https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=38498066#p38498066 TSP announcement] & [https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=38498159#p38498159 Balder announcement]).

==Foreign Relations==

Balder is a member of the [https://www.nationstates.net/region=world_assembly_legislative_league World Assembly Legislative League] along with The North Pacific, Europeia, Europe, and International Democratic Union. Balder has treaty alliances with The West Pacific, The Land of Kings and Emperors, The North Pacific, The Pacific, The East Pacific, Europeia, United Kingdom, and The Communist Bloc. Balder is also a founding member of the Inter-Regional Chat (IRC) agreement with Europeia, The North Pacific, The East Pacific, The West Pacific, the New Pacific Order (The Pacific), and several other subsequent signatories. The IRC structuring can be found [https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1530064 here].

The Jomsvikings are an Independent military with a strong pattern of raiding which frequently works with treaty allies of Balder. Following [https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=38473310#p38473310 a statement from the Crown], the Jomsvikings will not collaborate with any military operation of the Sekhmet Legion of Osiris or The Black Hawks. 

Balder's current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Kazaman.

==Government==

Since early in its history, Balder has been led by a Constitutional monarchy. The Crown performs necessary security functions and the Statsminister and their government oversee the day-to-day affairs. In Balder, the WA Delegate is the head of the royal family, King North East Somerset, with its Vice Delegate being Crown Prince Fuzzy, and Prince of Jomsborg Onder Kelkia (retired from off-site political decision-making) and Prince of Aarhus Alvalero completing the royal house. The current Monarch, North East Somerset, has been in office over 2 years, and Monarchs generally step down infrequently. Kazaman is the Head of Sikkerhet, giving him responsibility for processing citizenship checks, although Kazaman is not a member of the royal family.

Balder has a bicameral legislature known as the Storting. The upper chamber is known as the Lagting, it is composed of the royal family and other nobility. The lower house is the Odelsting which is composed of all citizens who have applied. 

Together, the houses of the Storting select the Statsminister (the equivalent of a Prime Minister) every three months. The Statsminister selects ministers together known as the Statsraadet (the equivalent of a Cabinet). The portfolio of the ministers and the composition of the Statsraadet are the discretion of the Statsminister. The current Statsminister is J.S. Talleyrand (also known as Regni Bohemiae). The Statsraadet is composed of Deputy Statsminister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and War Kazaman. Sarah Bread serves as the Deputy Minister of Engagement and Culture. The Statsminister currently executes the duties of the Minister of World Assembly Affairs.

==Culture==

Balder is largely a quiet region and is unique in placing a lot of its forums behind a required log-in wall. Balder's Discord is most active in its #pet-posting channel although also has increasing activity in its main channels. Balder is known for its Viking culture, which makes up much of the region's lore.

==Information for Ambassadors==

Finding information on the Balder forum is difficult even with ambassador forum masking. However, the in-game Regional Officer slots are generally up to date, as is masking on the regional Discord server. The Statsminister is elected to a three month term. The WA Delegate/Monarch serves until they choose to step aside. 

The Balder diplomatic applications area can be found [https://balder.boards.net/board/17/ambassador-embassy-applications here].

The Gameplay forum thread of the Realm of Balder can be found [https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=456732 here].

[[Category:Regions with TSP Ambassadors]]
[[Category:World Assembly Legislative League]]