This chapter concludes the book with an epilogue that connects with the introduction. It examines the paradoxes of EU economic governance through both national and European lenses. It begins with the Portuguese experience under António Costa’s government and the role of Mário Centeno, highlighting how Portugal defied austerityAusterity expectations while achieving fiscalFiscal balance. The narrative then shifts to the EU framework, portraying economic governance as a constitutionalConstitutional theatre dominated by intergovernmentalIntergovernmental politics, where Member States selectively apply rules and protect national autonomyAutonomy. The euro crisisCrisis exposed structural weaknesses, leading to stricter rules, new supervisory mechanisms, and financial assistanceAssistance frameworks, yet intergovernmentalism still prevails. The conclusion reflects on reform proposals, acknowledging their ambition but stressing the structural dominance of national interests and the improbability of sweeping federalFederal change. The EU remains trapped in a fragile balance: too integrated to act solely as a collection of sovereign States, yet lacking the constitutional federal order to ensure democratic legitimacy and equal treatment among its members.