Europe must abandon its passive stance and stop behaving like a zebra in a world dominated by the United States and China, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Jean Tirole. In a new work co-authored with Karine Van Der Straeten, Tirole argues that the continent needs a decisive strategy to escape decline and defend its interests on the global stage.
The economist, who received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2014, has long been a prominent voice in French and European economic debates. His latest intervention frames the challenge as existential: without a clear course, Europe risks being reduced to a spectator as Washington and Beijing set the rules of trade, technology, and security.
The book, presented as a set of solutions rather than a simple diagnosis, arrives amid mounting anxiety over Europe's competitiveness. The continent faces sluggish growth, an energy transition that strains industry, and a technological race in which American and Chinese firms dominate artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital platforms. Tirole and Van Der Straeten argue that these pressures demand more than incremental adjustments.
At the heart of their argument is the image of the zebra — a creature that survives by being overlooked, blending into the herd, and avoiding confrontation. For Tirole, that posture has become untenable. In a world where economic power is wielded strategically, Europe cannot rely on the goodwill of larger powers or on the hope that multilateral rules will protect it. It must instead build its own capacity to act.
The proposals come as European leaders grapple with how to respond to protectionist measures from both Washington and Beijing. Tariffs, export controls, and subsidies for strategic industries have reshaped the global trading environment. The European Union has sought to counter these moves with its own instruments, but critics say the response has been fragmented and slow.
Tirole's standing gives his recommendations particular weight. His work on market regulation, competition, and the economics of information has shaped policy thinking well beyond academia. By teaming with Van Der Straeten, a researcher known for her work on political economy and social choice, he signals that the challenge is not only economic but also institutional and democratic.
The authors' central message is that decline is not inevitable. Europe retains significant assets: a large single market, a skilled workforce, robust public institutions, and a tradition of social cohesion. The question, they suggest, is whether the continent can mobilize those strengths with the urgency the moment requires.
Their intervention adds to a growing chorus of voices warning that Europe's window for action is narrowing. As the United States and China deepen their rivalry, the space for middle powers to maneuver is shrinking. For Tirole, the choice is stark: Europe can continue to be the zebra, or it can become an actor that shapes its own future.