The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

33 of 127 sessions
  1. 12 June 2026

    An aging country needs migrants but does not want them. How do you solve that?

    Verdict

    Build consensus through transparent debate about selective migration, not technocratic override of electoral will.

    DemocracyEconomyTechnologyNetherlands
  2. 4 June 2026

    What political system best serves its people and the planet, and how should it account for externalities?

    Verdict

    Environmental protection requires both state capacity and democratic accountability. No system delivers both perfectly.

    Democracy
  3. 2 June 2026

    Should economic performance influence how nations respond to conflict in Iran?

    Verdict

    Iran's economic collapse under sanctions strengthens regime control while forcing dangerous adaptations that threaten global stability.

    GeopoliticsEconomyWarTechnologyGovernance
  4. 1 June 2026

    Is China's surveillance system a public safety success or a human rights failure?

    Verdict

    China's surveillance system delivers measurable stability and development outcomes while systematically destroying individual agency and human rights protections.

    ChinaGovernance
  5. 31 May 2026

    Has the Dutch Polder Model become a brake on innovation and growth, and should it be dismantled?

    Verdict

    Reform the polder model with accountability mechanisms and decision deadlines, but preserve stakeholder consultation where it adds value.

    EconomyTechnologyGovernanceNetherlands
  6. 30 May 2026

    May a country ban social media platforms?

    Verdict

    Yes, but only when platforms threaten genuine security interests, not when governments want to silence criticism.

    DemocracyGeopoliticsWarTechnology
  7. 29 May 2026

    Should countries aim to build and control their own AI datacenters?

    Verdict

    Build selective domestic AI capacity while maintaining foreign partnerships. Total dependence is dangerous; total independence is wasteful.

    GeopoliticsClimateAI
  8. 28 May 2026

    Will China surpass the US in economic output and technological leadership?

    Verdict

    China will likely overtake US GDP by 2030, but internal cohesion and institutional management matter more than raw economic size.

    EconomyChinaTechnologyGovernance
  9. 22 May 2026

    As China prospers, will its population demand democracy or greater freedoms?

    Verdict

    China's prosperity will generate demands for greater freedoms, but not necessarily Western-style democracy.

    DemocracyEconomyChina
  10. 18 May 2026

    Should the Netherlands limit ASML exports to China under American pressure, or determine its position independently?

    Verdict

    The Netherlands should set independent export limits based on Dutch security interests, not American strategic demands.

    EconomyChinaWarAINetherlands
  11. 15 May 2026

    As China prospers, will its population demand democracy or greater freedoms?

    Verdict

    China's prosperity creates middle classes who want political voice, but the party can satisfy those demands without Western-style democracy.

    DemocracyEconomyChina
  12. 13 May 2026

    When China invades Taiwan, should the US protect Taiwan's democratic regime?

    Verdict

    America faces an impossible choice between abandoning a democratic ally and risking war with a nuclear power.

    DemocracyChinaGovernance
  13. 12 May 2026

    Should the Netherlands allow the American company Kyndryl to acquire Solvinity, given concerns about digital sovereignty?

    Verdict

    Block the acquisition and build domestic alternatives at higher cost.

    GeopoliticsNetherlands
  14. 7 May 2026

    Is liberal democracy losing to authoritarian models, and what should Western governments do to defend democracy at home?

    Verdict

    Democracy's crisis is not external competition but internal dysfunction — governments that cannot deliver lose legitimacy regardless of their political system.

    Democracy
  15. 6 May 2026

    The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters of our planet for many years. The supply driven system and customer behaviour make it difficult to change this. Should governments interfere with stricter rules and regulations?

    Verdict

    Fashion's environmental damage requires coordinated action, but the council divides on whether markets, experiments, or binding rules deliver results fastest.

    EconomyGovernance
  16. 5 May 2026

    Will China become the new hegemon power and will it replace the role of the United States over the next decades?

    Verdict

    China will become a major power equal to America, but whether it becomes the dominant hegemon depends on choices both powers have not yet made.

    GeopoliticsChinaClimate
  17. 3 May 2026

    How can we make sure the strait of Hormuz gets re-opened ASAP?

    Verdict

    Coordinate all oil importers to isolate the blocking power economically while offering them profitable alternatives to chokepoint control.

    GeopoliticsEconomyClimate
  18. 3 May 2026

    Will the current global economy continue to grow, or will tensions cause a recession?

    Verdict

    Current global tensions will trigger recession unless governments coordinate immediate fiscal response while markets adjust.

    GeopoliticsEconomyClimate
  19. 2 May 2026

    Fertility rate is dropping dramatically. What problems would we face with a diminishing population?

    Verdict

    Declining populations create fiscal crises, demand shortfalls, and political gridlock that policy tools cannot fix once the demographic shift accelerates.

    Economy
  20. 1 May 2026

    Can Vietnam position itself in a way to compete with China for manufacturing business from western countries?

    Verdict

    Vietnam can compete for manufacturing business, but only by building superior infrastructure first and accepting a complementary role to China rather than direct competition.

    GeopoliticsChinaClimate
  21. 1 May 2026

    Will the current dominant global order persist over the next 50 years, and if not, what conditions would enable a different power to become globally dominant?

    Verdict

    American dominance will not survive fifty years unchanged, but whether this means inevitable decline or strategic renewal depends on choices not yet made.

    GeopoliticsClimate
  22. 1 May 2026

    Which country or countries will be the next world leader?

    Verdict

    No single country will dominate the next era — power will flow to whoever solves critical problems others cannot.

    GeopoliticsClimate
  23. 30 April 2026

    How to secure Europe's future by allowing construction of datacenters, while protecting affordability in energy for the European population?

    Verdict

    Europe must choose between cheap energy for consumers today and digital infrastructure that prevents technological dependence tomorrow.

    DemocracyGeopoliticsEuropeClimateTechnology
  24. 30 April 2026

    What's in the best interest of the US: maintain current military presence in Europe, or redeploy troops to other regions?

    Verdict

    America gains credibility from visible commitment but loses flexibility from fixed deployment patterns.

    EuropeWar
  25. 29 April 2026

    Should the US extend its response to Iran's blockade of the Hormuz Strait?

    Verdict

    Military escalation and diplomatic restraint both carry strategic costs America cannot avoid.

    GeopoliticsEconomyWarClimate