¡°Google it, mate¡± ¡ª such was the response of an Australian politician who bristled at a journalist testing him on wage data, earning laughter as he rebuked such ¡°gotcha¡± questions.
The scene has echoes in France¡¯s presidential runoff vote, due later this month, which has seen Emmanuel Macron scramble for votes to widen his lead against far-right nemesis Marine Le Pen. His current average polling lead of 53% is slim, and seemingly at odds with his economic track record ¡ª let alone his rival¡¯s toxic political background.
Shouldn¡¯t the numbers speak for themselves? The data shows France motoring ahead on job creation, with unemployment at a 15-year low and a growth rate outpacing Germany¡¯s. Purchasing power ¡ª the leading concern for French voters ¡ª rose under Macron more than his two most recent predecessors.
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