The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

21 of 151 sessions
  1. 22 June 2026

    Should the US create a sovereign wealth fund from tech and AI company profits?

    Verdict

    No member endorses a US sovereign wealth fund as currently proposed. The split is over what to build instead.

    USEconomyGeopoliticsAI & Technology
  2. 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
  3. 16 June 2026

    Can capitalism survive an AI-driven economy?

    Verdict

    Capitalism can survive AI, but only if redistribution happens before ownership concentration captures the governments that would impose it.

    EconomyGovernanceAI & Technology
  4. 15 June 2026

    Should Australia ban social media for under-16s?

    Verdict

    Australia's ban protects children from algorithmic exploitation but eliminates spaces where democratic judgment develops.

    AI & Technology
  5. 15 June 2026

    Should AI be regulated?

    Verdict

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

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 31 May 2026

    If AI takes the jobs, who’s left to buy? What stops the collapse and who must act?

    Verdict

    Government must create purchasing power directly when AI displaces workers faster than markets can absorb them.

    EconomyAI & Technology
  10. 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
  11. 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.

    GeopoliticsAI & Technology
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 21 May 2026

    How can AI companies be regulated without hindering innovation?

    Verdict

    Regulate AI through multiple competing jurisdictions with clear, enforceable rules rather than comprehensive global frameworks.

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  15. 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
  16. 10 May 2026

    Should democratic states rethink their democratic processes in the light of fake news shared via social media?

    Verdict

    Democratic states must respond to systematic misinformation, but the council splits on whether information control can remain democratic.

    DemocracyAI & Technology
  17. 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
  18. 7 May 2026

    Why do technological developments reinforce inequality and how can we prevent that?

    Verdict

    Technology serves those who own it, but communities can govern it democratically if institutions give them real control over development and benefits.

    AI & Technology
  19. 29 April 2026

    Should the Netherlands regulate AI more strictly?

    Verdict

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

    EUNetherlandsGovernanceAI & Technology
  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.

    EUGovernanceAI & Technology
  21. 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