The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

80 of 163 sessions
  1. 27 July 2026

    How should the German government deal with regular terrorist attacks by muslim immigrants?

    Verdict

    Prosecute and deport individuals who commit or plan attacks. Do not govern by religious category.

    EUGovernanceWar
  2. 27 July 2026

    How should the German government respond to terrorist attacks?

    Verdict

    Germany should treat terrorism as a crime, prosecute it through courts, and keep emergency powers time-limited and specific.

    EUGovernanceDemocracyWar
  3. 30 June 2026

    Governments struggle to think beyond the next election, how to change that?

    Verdict

    Build the institutional locks now, but only those citizens helped design and can still monitor.

    GovernanceDemocracy
  4. 29 June 2026

    What conditions and actions would resolve the conflict between Iran and the USA?

    Verdict

    A deal is possible, but only if both governments can frame concessions as victories at home.

    USWar
  5. 28 June 2026

    Is the rise of the AfD a threat to German democracy, or a sign that it functions?

    Verdict

    The AfD's rise is a warning that German democracy is failing its eastern citizens, not proof it is working.

    EUDemocracy
  6. 23 June 2026

    Should the USA reduce its role as the world's security guarantor?

    Verdict

    No: not now, not without a named substitute force and a realistic timeline to build it.

    USWar
  7. 20 June 2026

    Why don't EU countries invest in mutual train lines to reduce CO2 emissions?

    Verdict

    EU cross-border rail stalls because each member state pays now and waits decades to benefit, while no corridor-level institution enforces shared commitments.

    EUClimate
  8. 19 June 2026

    How can Europe develop AI capabilities while reducing its dependence on the US?

    Verdict

    Europe must build shared compute infrastructure and use public procurement to anchor European AI capacity before dependency becomes impossible to reverse.

    USEUGovernanceGeopoliticsAI & Technology
  9. 15 June 2026

    How can we solve an urgent problem like housing shortage?

    Verdict

    Government must build housing directly while removing barriers to private construction. Market signals fail when speculation dominates shelter.

    Climate
  10. 15 June 2026

    Should the EU build an army?

    Verdict

    Europe needs its own defense capacity but splits on whether this strengthens or replaces the Atlantic alliance.

    EUGeopoliticsWar
  11. 15 June 2026

    Should AI be regulated?

    Verdict

    Yes, but states must build AI expertise before writing rules.

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  12. 14 June 2026

    Should the EU build a unified military force?

    Verdict

    Build European military capability within NATO structures, not as replacement.

    EUGeopoliticsWar
  13. 13 June 2026

    How can we create long term peace in Libanon

    Verdict

    Lebanon needs international partners who can fund state rebuilding while deterring Iranian interference.

    EconomyWarClimate
  14. 13 June 2026

    How can the EU reduce its dependency on US and Chinese AI?

    Verdict

    Europe must build AI capability through strategic state investment while liberalizing regulations to attract private talent and capital.

    USEUChinaGovernanceGeopoliticsAI & Technology
  15. 13 June 2026

    Who would win from European degrowth—the planet, China, or nobody?

    Verdict

    China wins from European degrowth while the planet loses.

    EUChinaEconomyGeopoliticsClimate
  16. 11 June 2026

    How can the EU protect its economy from heavily subsidized Chinese imports?

    Verdict

    The EU must impose targeted tariffs to counter China's $57 billion subsidies while building its own industrial capacity.

    EUChinaEconomy
  17. 11 June 2026

    Should the EU impose trade barriers against China to protect its economy?

    Verdict

    Trade barriers will slow European innovation more than they protect strategic industries.

    EUChinaEconomy
  18. 10 June 2026

    How can Western democracies reduce bureaucracy?

    Verdict

    Build digital systems outside existing ministries, then force bureaucrats to use them or lose their jobs.

    GovernanceDemocracy
  19. 10 June 2026

    Should societies celebrate cultural differences, or require newcomers to assimilate?

    Verdict

    Newcomers must accept core civic values but should keep their cultural practices.

  20. 9 June 2026

    Should the EU develop nuclear weapons itself?

    Verdict

    European nuclear capacity would either strengthen Europe's alliance position or destroy the security architecture that has protected it for seventy years.

    EU
  21. 8 June 2026

    Can the European Union become both more democratic and more decisive at the same time, and if so, how?

    Verdict

    Europe can become more democratic and decisive by building delivery capacity first in energy, defense, and fiscal policy.

    EUGovernanceDemocracy
  22. 3 June 2026

    Which tax policy supports a welfare state while protecting growth and innovation?

    Verdict

    High taxes can fund innovation or destroy it, depending on what they buy and whether citizens trust the system.

    EconomyAI & Technology
  23. 2 June 2026

    Is Europe experiencing democratic backslide, and does a rightward shift among governments pose a problem?

    Verdict

    Europe's rightward shift represents democratic choice exercised against democratic norms.

    EUGovernanceDemocracy
  24. 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.

    EconomyWar
  25. 2 June 2026

    How to talk to Putin, or negotiate succesfully?

    Verdict

    Putin's survival depends on appearing strong, making normal diplomacy impossible until costs exceed benefits.

    War
  26. 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.

    NetherlandsEconomyGovernanceAI & Technology
  27. 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.

    GeopoliticsAI & Technology
  28. 29 May 2026

    How can we make democracy in Germany more resilient?

    Verdict

    Ban the AfD through constitutional procedures while rebuilding the economic security and civic engagement that extremism exploits.

    EUDemocracy
  29. 29 May 2026

    Who should pay for the added cost of sustainable kerosene in Europe?

    Verdict

    Airlines should charge passengers for sustainable fuel costs, but with progressive pricing that protects low-income access.

    EUClimate
  30. 29 May 2026

    When debt grows, why do governments choose to print money — and how does that shape the debt cycle?

    Verdict

    Governments print money because the political cost of fiscal adjustment arrives in months while inflation arrives in years.

    Economy
  31. 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.

    USChinaEconomyGovernanceAI & Technology
  32. 28 May 2026

    Should governments ban PFAS to protect the environment and health?

    Verdict

    Yes, governments should ban PFAS, but with transition timelines that fund alternatives development.

    Economy
  33. 27 May 2026

    Is it useful for the US to have military bases on every continent?

    Verdict

    America's 750 bases work when they serve host nations facing regional threats but become liabilities when they serve only global positioning.

    USWar
  34. 27 May 2026

    What actions must be taken today to ensure the future of next generations?

    Verdict

    Build institutions that survive electoral cycles and restore the environmental commons that sustain democracy itself.

    Governance
  35. 27 May 2026

    What conditions would make a Ukraine ceasefire durable and acceptable?

    Verdict

    Ukraine must choose between accepting territorial losses now for institutional protections, or fighting longer to build independent deterrent capacity.

    War
  36. 21 May 2026

    Should European countries develop independent defence capabilities as a backup to US security guarantees?

    Verdict

    Europe must build independent defence capabilities while strengthening, not replacing, NATO structures.

    USEUWar
  37. 19 May 2026

    How can we structure Dutch democracy so that it works less divisively?

    Verdict

    Dutch democracy needs institutions that force hard decisions, but the council splits on whether centralized authority or distributed governance delivers them.

    NetherlandsGovernanceDemocracy
  38. 18 May 2026

    Should Rob Jetten be more visible in the public debate about the Netherlands' current problems?

    Verdict

    The council splits on whether ministers should engage constantly or speak only when they have something definitive to say.

    NetherlandsDemocracyClimate
  39. 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.

    USChinaNetherlandsEconomyAI & Technology
  40. 14 May 2026

    Should Groningen's gas fields remain open for emergency situations?

    Verdict

    Emergency capacity requires local control over when emergencies justify production.

    NetherlandsClimate
  41. 14 May 2026

    How can the EU avoid a full-blown trade war with America and China?

    Verdict

    Build what both superpowers need but cannot easily replace, then make them compete for access.

    USEUChinaEconomy
  42. 14 May 2026

    Should the Dutch government reopen the Groningen gas field to secure energy supplies, and how should it compensate affected residents?

    Verdict

    The council agrees compensation must be automatic and generous, but splits on whether energy sovereignty justifies reopening.

    NetherlandsClimate
  43. 12 May 2026

    Should UK PM Starmer resign?

    Verdict

    Starmer should resign if he cannot unite Labour around policies Britain needs.

    EU
  44. 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.

    USNetherlandsGeopolitics
  45. 8 May 2026

    Which global institutions should exist to prevent an arms race in dangerous technologies like AI?

    Verdict

    Build overlapping institutions at different scales rather than one global AI authority.

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  46. 6 May 2026

    How can trust in political leadership be restored in western democracies. Provide concrete steps and measures.

    Verdict

    Western democracies can restore trust through competent institutions or authentic participation, but not both simultaneously.

    Democracy
  47. 6 May 2026

    Should we have a flying miles system where every citizen of the EU gets a free amount of miles they can travel by plane each year. If they are out of miles they can buy from other eu members that are not using them in an open marketplace. This will ensure there is a redistribution of wealth. People with less money can sell their miles for a fun holiday by car while the rich can fly far away.

    Verdict

    The system could work but requires choosing between market efficiency and climate justice.

    EUEconomyDemocracyClimate
  48. 5 May 2026

    How can Europe develop a long-term strategy for climate and conflict migration that combines humane reception with social stability?

    Verdict

    Europe must prepare institutions for predictable climate migration rather than manage it as permanent crisis.

    EUWarClimate
  49. 5 May 2026

    How do we balance the acute need for economic growth and housing construction with legal obligations and the urgent need to reduce nitrogen emissions and protect biodiversity?

    Verdict

    Build housing and cut nitrogen in the same places through local control, subsidized energy, and redistribution from wealthy regions to constrained ones.

    EconomyClimate
  50. 5 May 2026

    Can the Netherlands solve the housing crisis, and if so, how and on what timeline?

    Verdict

    The Netherlands can solve its housing crisis, but must choose between fast state direction, slow market freedom, or mixed systems that require sustained political will.

    Netherlands
  51. 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.

    USChina
  52. 4 May 2026

    Is it possible to reverse the downfall of empire like the EU?

    Verdict

    The EU can reverse decline but only by completing political union or accepting managed fragmentation.

    EUGovernance
  53. 3 May 2026

    Should the EU impose sanctions on Israel for its attacks on Lebanon?

    Verdict

    EU sanctions would isolate Europe without changing Israeli behavior or protecting Lebanese civilians.

    EUEconomyGeopoliticsWar
  54. 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.

  55. 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.

    Economy
  56. 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.

  57. 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.

    ChinaEconomy
  58. 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.

    US
  59. 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.

  60. 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.

    EUDemocracyClimate
  61. 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.

    USEUWar
  62. 30 April 2026

    Should the US pull its military troops out of Europe?

    Verdict

    American troops in Europe solve different problems for different strategic priorities.

    USEUWar
  63. 29 April 2026

    Should the Netherlands regulate AI more strictly?

    Verdict

    The Netherlands must choose between speed and sovereignty in AI development.

    EUNetherlandsGovernanceAI & Technology
  64. 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.

    USEconomyWar
  65. 29 April 2026

    Should Taiwan aggressively strengthen their military capabilities in order to fend off China?

    Verdict

    Taiwan must build military strength but through strategic ambiguity that raises occupation costs without revealing defensive plans.

    ChinaWar
  66. 29 April 2026

    Should the EU subsidize manufacturing industries to regain independence of China?

    Verdict

    Europe must build exit options from Chinese manufacturing through targeted subsidies, but not attempt full industrial autarky.

    EUChinaEconomy
  67. 28 April 2026

    Should China take control of Taiwan by military force?

    Verdict

    Military force would be strategically catastrophic for China, destroying decades of economic development while failing to achieve sustainable control over Taiwan.

    ChinaWar
  68. 28 April 2026

    Should the EUROPEAN UNION further democratize, organise European elections, replacing the current decision process?

    Verdict

    The European Union faces an irreconcilable tension between the scale required for effective governance in an interconnected world and the conditions necessary for authentic democratic participation.

    EUDemocracy
  69. 28 April 2026

    Should we get rid of the senate in the Netherlands?

    Verdict

    The Dutch Senate's fate turns on whether democratic legitimacy flows directly from popular will or through institutions that channel and refine that will — a constitutional philosophy question that evidence alone cannot resolve.

    Netherlands
  70. 27 April 2026

    Does Europe really have an immigration crisis and if so how can it be solved?

    Verdict

    Europe faces institutional breakdown between migration volumes and integration capacity, but the council maps fundamentally different paths forward rather than reaching consensus on solutions.

    EU
  71. 27 April 2026

    Should the EU assist Trump's military to free the Strait of Hormuz?

    Verdict

    The EU should pursue energy security through diplomatic engagement rather than military support for American operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

    USEUWar
  72. 26 April 2026

    Should the EU harmonize legislation and tax policy across all member states?

    Verdict

    Fiscal harmonization across the EU would strengthen European stability against economic nationalism but only at the cost of eliminating the policy diversity and democratic accountability that responsive governance requires.

    EUEconomyGeopolitics
  73. 26 April 2026

    Should the EU be further expanded with other nations?

    Verdict

    The EU faces an irreducible trade-off between institutional effectiveness and territorial scope that cannot be resolved through technical fixes or gradual reform.

    EU
  74. 26 April 2026

    Should the EU tighten its partnership with China in light of the deteriorating relations?

    Verdict

    Europe should deepen institutional unity first, then engage China economically while building independent strategic capabilities — but whether this balanced approach remains viable depends on forces beyond European control.

    USEUChinaEconomy
  75. 25 April 2026

    Does Iran’s regime need to make a peace deal with the US?

    Verdict

    Iran's regime faces a strategic choice between building permanent alternatives to Western economic systems and accepting managed integration that preserves long-term capacity while reducing immediate costs.

    USWar
  76. 25 April 2026

    Does Iran's regime need to make a peace deal with the US, and if so, on what terms should it pursue one?

    Verdict

    Iran should pursue negotiations with the United States, but the council establishes that any meaningful agreement requires Iran to choose between revolutionary identity and developmental transformation — a choice that fundamentally determin…

    US
  77. 25 April 2026

    Should the UK join the European Union again, and if so, how?

    Verdict

    Britain's medium-power status requires institutional anchoring to exercise influence in a world of continental-scale competitors, but the council establishes that rejoining depends on resolving a fundamental question about British strategic…

    EU
  78. 25 April 2026

    How can Europe significantly reduce depency on the US?

    Verdict

    Europe can significantly reduce dependency on the US by systematically building autonomous capabilities in finance, technology, and energy while exploiting its position between competing superpowers.

    USEUEconomyGeopoliticsWarAI & Technology
  79. 25 April 2026

    Should the EU sanction Israel for its attacks on Gaza and Libanon?

    Verdict

    The systematic denial of basic rights to civilian populations creates legitimate grounds for international response that transcends alliance considerations and strategic relationships.

    EUEconomyGeopoliticsWar
  80. 24 April 2026

    Should the Netherlands phase out all remaining Russian LNG imports by end of 2026, even if this means higher consumer energy prices for 18 months?

    Verdict

    The Netherlands should phase out Russian LNG imports by end-2026. Energy dependency on an adversarial supplier that has already weaponized energy exports constitutes a strategic vulnerability that outweighs temporary consumer costs.

    NetherlandsEconomyGeopoliticsWarClimate