The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

24 of 127 sessions
  1. 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.

    GeopoliticsWar
  2. 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
  3. 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.

    War
  4. 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.

    GeopoliticsEuropeWar
  5. 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
  6. 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.

    GeopoliticsEconomyEuropeChinaClimate
  7. 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
  8. 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.

    AITechnologyGovernance
  9. 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
  10. 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.

    GeopoliticsEconomyEuropeWar
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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.

    EuropeWar
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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.

    EconomyChinaWarClimate
  19. 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.

    GeopoliticsEuropeWarClimate
  20. 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.

    DemocracyEuropeTechnologyGovernance
  21. 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.

    GeopoliticsEconomyEuropeChinaClimateGovernance
  22. 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.

    EconomyWar
  23. 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…

    GeopoliticsClimate
  24. 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.

    GeopoliticsEconomyEuropeWarClimateTechnology