"Google it, mate” — 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 — 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 — the leading concern for French voters — rose under Macron more than his two most recent predecessors.