New Books by Tirole and Gonzalez Laya Question Europe's Role in Global Trade

In a pair of newly released works, Nobel-winning economist Jean Tirole and former Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya explore the challenges facing European nations in a world dominated by powerful market forces. Tirole, co-authoring *Economie du désordre mondial* with Karine Van Der Straeten, acknowledges that globalization reduced global poverty but also created pronounced losers, especially in industrial heartlands like the U.S. Midwest, where protective measures were minimal.

Gonzalez Laya’s *L’Europe seule au monde* defends the European Union, arguing that democracy is receding worldwide and that Europe must assert itself to curb growing inequality. The books, issued by Albin Michel and Editions Arpa, revive a post-Cold-War debate about whether trade can sustain peace and prosperity, or if a new strategic approach is required.