The article examines changes in how Portugal manages its money from 1978 to 2007. They used a special math method to see when the rules for spending and taxes changed. The study shows that Portugal tends to spend more than it earns, especially during good times. Taxes go up and down a lot, which can make the budget worse when the economy is doing well. When things get tough, Portugal usually uses quick fixes instead of making big changes. Even when the EU made rules to help, Portugal didn't stick to them for long.