| Certain phrases become emblematic of an era—or, at the very least, of a political career. On 16 September 2018, in the gardens of the Élysée Palace, President Emmanuel Macron famously told an unemployed man that all he had to do was "cross the street" to find a job. The remark sparked widespread criticism, becoming for many a symbol of elitist disconnect and arrogance. A few weeks later, on 17 November 2018, exactly six years ago, protesters clad in yellow vests gathered to oppose a fuel tax. The movement quickly evolved into a broader demand for social justice and better wealth redistribution. The Yellow Vest protests would persist for months before losing steam. Yet Macron's proactive economic policies seemed, at least on paper, to yield results, even as his government faced electoral defeats. Three days after dissolving the National Assembly on 9 June 2024, following his party's crushing defeat in the European elections, Macron noted in a press conference launching the legislative campaign that his policies had “created more than two million jobs over the past seven years.” Months earlier, on 11 December 2023, during a speech marking the second anniversary of the France 2030 industrial revival plan, the president highlighted a reduction in unemployment, stating it had dropped “from 9% to 7% while most of our European neighbours have stagnated or maintained their 2017 levels.” Macron has consistently reiterated his mantra: his primary objective is the “creation of activity.” | 