The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

12 of 163 sessions
  1. 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
  2. 8 July 2026

    What defines the success of the US after 250 years, compared to other nations?

    Verdict

    America's institutions survived where almost no others did. That survival is real, but it is not the whole score.

    US
  3. 5 July 2026

    What defines the success of the US after 250 years, compared to other nations?

    Verdict

    America's founding institutions created durable legitimacy no peer nation replicated; whether that advantage is now spent is the unresolved question.

    US
  4. 3 July 2026

    Is NAR movement a serious threat to democracy

    Verdict

    NAR is a real threat to democratic institutions, but the 2022 elections show those institutions can still hold.

    USGovernanceDemocracy
  5. 1 July 2026

    With an increasing grip of technology and state surveillance, how can a “Brave New World” scenario be avoided?

    Verdict

    Surveillance must be stopped before it is built, not governed after the state holds the data.

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  6. 19 June 2026

    Is democracy possible without a strong cultural and artistic sphere?

    Verdict

    Democracy can survive without high culture, but it cannot survive without a civic sphere where citizens name, argue, and appear to each other.

    GovernanceDemocracy
  7. 17 June 2026

    Do Trump's policies and approach to government pose a threat to American democratic institutions?

    Verdict

    Trump's pressure on courts, prosecutors, and elections is a real threat, but whether institutions hold depends on whether their defenders still act like defenders.

    USGovernanceDemocracy
  8. 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
  9. 30 May 2026

    How should the current political crisis in Turkey, involving the appointment of a trustee to the CHP and the conflict between Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu, be evaluated in light of Atatürk's warning about "negligence, betrayal, and delusion"?

    Verdict

    Turkey faces systematic constitutional breakdown, but the council splits on whether resistance or patience better preserves the republic.

    War
  10. 29 May 2026

    Should we restore ecosystems by leaving nature alone and reducing human intervention?

    Verdict

    Ecosystems damaged by humans require active human restoration, not passive rewilding.

    Climate
  11. 28 May 2026

    Does Israel have the right to build settlements in the West Bank?

    Verdict

    Israel has no legal right to build settlements, but the council splits on whether security threats override international law.

    GeopoliticsWar
  12. 27 April 2026

    Should the US government refuse green cards to people who have criticized Israel and support the Palestinian cause?

    Verdict

    The government should not exclude green card applicants based on their criticism of Israel or support for the Palestinian cause.

    USWarClimate