Still, the spectacular effort to defeat a party that espouses narrow nationalism is a textbook lesson for progressives everywhere in reclaiming lost ground. For sure, the French Right has emerged stronger than it was, with more seats in this election. But whatever the makeover Le Pen or her successor, the 28-year-old half-Italian Jordan Bardella, might have given the RN, not enough French voters were convinced that it had the best credentials to lead the country.