The recent rapprochement between Hungary and Austria, the clear tendencies towards weakening in the Netherlands following the election of Geerd Wilders and Italy's simmering budget and migration crisis (basically the entire south of the eurozone) are putting the institutions of the European Union, the eurozone and the European Central Bank under massive pressure to act. The centripetal forces of this extremely fragile construct can no longer be overlooked and the weakening tendencies of a growing number of member states can no longer be ignored. 2024 will be an exciting and difficult year for the European Union as the recession gathers pace.