The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

32 of 163 sessions
  1. 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
  2. 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.

    NetherlandsAI & Technology
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 30 May 2026

    How should Özgür Özel challenge Kılıçdaroğlu for leadership of the CHP?

    Verdict

    The anchors show Özel already defeated Kılıçdaroğlu in November 2023 and won major cities in 2024.

  7. 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
  8. 28 May 2026

    Can libertarian policy in western democracies lead to more growth and freedom?

    Verdict

    Libertarian policy delivers growth when institutions have failed, but who bears transition costs determines whether it enhances freedom.

    EconomyDemocracy
  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.

    ChinaEconomyDemocracy
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 15 May 2026

    Has Britain entered an accelerating spiral of disorder?

    Verdict

    Britain's institutions work but lack the will to enforce hard choices — this is decline, not disorder.

    EUGovernance
  13. 12 May 2026

    Should UK PM Starmer resign?

    Verdict

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

    EU
  14. 9 May 2026

    Do you think Trump was a good president of the United States?

    Verdict

    Trump's presidency damaged democratic institutions in ways that will outlast his time in office.

    US
  15. 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
  16. 6 May 2026

    Should governments publicly acknowledge climate science?

    Verdict

    Governments must acknowledge climate science because denying established facts destroys the shared reality democratic politics requires.

    Climate
  17. 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
  18. 4 May 2026

    Why is it so hard to create affordable housing in large European and US cities, and how can it be fixed?

    Verdict

    Cities must build housing like infrastructure — with public finance and long-term planning — because private markets build only for the highest bidders.

    USEU
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 26 April 2026

    Should social media be regulated in the EU?

    Verdict

    Current social media governance fails democratic accountability — platforms govern billions without electoral mandate while remaining vulnerable to foreign manipulation.

    EUGovernanceAI & Technology
  29. 25 April 2026

    What advertising strategies or regulations would most effectively reduce vaping among young people?

    Verdict

    Effective vaping reduction requires targeted advertising restrictions combined with comprehensive public health counter-messaging, rather than either market-only solutions or total prohibition approaches.

    Governance
  30. 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
  31. 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
  32. 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