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In 2014, the EU will have to confront this paradox. Now that the economy is recovering, the eurozone's focus will shift from short-term crisis-fighting to long-term growth and its biggest challenges will become increasingly political rather than financial.
The first big test will come in May with elections to the European Parliament; on current projections, these will result in strong representation for eurosceptic and extremist parties opposed to further integration. Shortly afterwards, European leaders in conjunction with the new Parliament must agree the appointment of a new European Commission, including a president to succeed José Manuel Barroso - a crucial decision given the central role the Commission plays in setting the EU legislative agenda.
How European leaders handle these challenges could have a greater bearing on the eurozone's long-term prosperity than any decisions taken in the economic sphere. How will President François Hollande of France or Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK, for example, respond to a strong showing by the Front National and UK Independence Party? Will mainstream politicians continue to make the case for "more Europe" or respond to rising euroscepticism by adopting a more confrontational approach to the EU?
The temptation for some may be to take the latter course. In a world of 24-hour media, few leaders feel strong enough to challenge settled perceptions. Indeed, national governments and parliaments are even less trusted than the EU, according to Eurobarometer. Besides, mainstream politicians have played their own part in stoking anti-EU perceptions: the rules of the Brussels game dictate that governments invariably present European affairs as a battle with a foreign power rather than a collaborative enterprise.
For many, this habit may be too ingrained to change tactics now, even as it fuels extremist support. But Europe's longer-term prosperity may depend on leaders having sufficient courage of their convictions to confront eurosceptic arguments head-on. After all, many of the claims made by populist anti-EU parties don't stand up to scrutiny.
What makes this task of winning back public support for the EU so essential is that it remains as true today as at the start of the crisis that Europe's long-term growth depends on further integration - in particular further deepening of the single market.
But if the solution to Europe's problems remains "more Europe", the question for 2014 is whether it can find leaders still willing to make the case.