Editing National Rally (section)

==== Presidential and parliamentary election, rebranding (2017–2022) ====
{{Main|2017 Marine Le Pen presidential campaign}}
On 24 April 2017, a day after the first round of the [[2017 French presidential election|presidential election]], Marine Le Pen announced that she would temporarily step down as the party's leader in an attempt to "unite voters."<ref name="auto">{{cite news |title=Marine Le Pen temporarily steps down as Front National leader to concentrate on presidential bid |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/marine-le-pen-front-national-stepping-down-leader-party-french-election-a7700286.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906035210/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/marine-le-pen-front-national-stepping-down-leader-party-french-election-a7700286.html |archive-date=6 September 2017}}</ref> In the second round of voting, Le Pen was defeated 66.1% to 33.9% by her rival [[Emmanuel Macron]] of [[En Marche!]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/07/world/europe/why-macron-won-france.html|title=Why Macron Won: Luck, Skill and France's Dark History|last=Nossiter|first=Adam|date=7 May 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|url-access=subscription|access-date=9 May 2017|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=9 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509002348/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/07/world/europe/why-macron-won-france.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[2017 French legislative election|following parliamentary elections]], the FN received 13.02%  of the vote, a little lower than the 13.07% of the 2012 elections. The party appeared to have suffered from a demobilisation of its voters from the previous vote. Nonetheless, eight deputies (six FN and two affiliated) were elected, the best number for the FN in a parliamentary election using a majoritarian electoral system since its creation.{{refn|group=nb|The proportional representation was used in the 1986 elections.}} Marine Le Pen was elected to the National Assembly for the first time, while [[Gilbert Collard]] was re-elected. FN's 23-year-old [[Ludovic Pajot]] became the youngest ever member of the French parliament.

In late 2017, [[Florian Philippot]] left the FN and formed [[The Patriots (France)|The Patriots]], on the grounds that the FN had "softened" its position on leaving the [[EU]] and abandoning the [[Euro]].<ref>Louise Nordstorm, [http://www.france24.com/en/20171218-france-philippot-les-patriotes-le-pen-ex-protege-win-over-french-far-right-party Les Patriotes: How Le Pen's ex-protégé hopes to win over French far right] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109164057/http://www.france24.com/en/20171218-france-philippot-les-patriotes-le-pen-ex-protege-win-over-french-far-right-party |date=9 January 2018 }}. France 24, 18 December 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.</ref>

In 2018, [[Steve Bannon]], former advisor to Donald Trump before and after his 2016 election, gave what has been described as a "populist [[pep talk]]".<ref name="Nossiter">{{cite news |last=Nossiter |first=Adam |title='Let Them Call You Racists': Bannon's Pep Talk to National Front |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/world/europe/steve-bannon-france-national-front.html |work=The New York Times|url-access=subscription |date=10 March 2018 |access-date=30 March 2018 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=15 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215020017/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/world/europe/steve-bannon-france-national-front.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Bannon advised the party members to "Let them call you racist, let them call you xenophobes, let them call you nativists. Wear it like a badge of honor. Because every day, we get stronger and they get weaker. ... History is on our side and will bring us victory." Bannon's remarks brought the members to their feet.<ref>{{citation |publisher=France 24 |date=11 March 2018 |access-date=11 August 2019 |title=Wear 'racist' like a badge of honour, Bannon tells French far-right summit |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180311-france-usa-bannon-le-pen-national-front-racist-badge-honour-populist-pep-talk-lille-trump?ref=tw |author=McNicholl, Tracy}}</ref><ref>Willsher, Kim (10 March 2018) [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/10/steve-bannon-tells-french-far-right-history-is-on-our-side "Steve Bannon tells French far-right 'history is on our side'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215020200/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/10/steve-bannon-tells-french-far-right-history-is-on-our-side |date=15 February 2021 }} ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref><ref>Ganley, Elaine (10 March 2018) [https://www.businessinsider.com/bannon-racist-label-is-badge-of-honor-france-far-right-party-speech-2018-3-2 "Steve Bannon told a French far-right party to wear the 'racist' label 'as a badge of honor'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804134443/https://www.businessinsider.com/bannon-racist-label-is-badge-of-honor-france-far-right-party-speech-2018-3-2 |date=4 August 2020 }} [[Associated Press]] via ''[[Business Insider]]''</ref>

In January 2019, ex-Sarkozy minister [[Thierry Mariani]] and former conservative lawmaker [[Jean-Paul Garraud]], left [[The Republicans (France)|Les Républicains]] (LR) and joined the National Rally.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/ex-sarkozy-minister-jumps-conservative-ship-to-join-french-far-right-11103410 |title=Ex-Sarkozy minister jumps conservative ship to join French far-right - Channel NewsAsia |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=9 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109174418/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/ex-sarkozy-minister-jumps-conservative-ship-to-join-french-far-right-11103410 |url-status=live }}</ref>

During a 2021 debate, Marine Le Pen was called "soft" on Islam by the Minister of the Interior in Macron's government, [[Gérald Darmanin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/marine-le-pen-molle-les-propos-de-gerald-darmanin-sement-l-embarras-au-sein-de-la-rem_AN-202102150325.html|title=Marine le Pen "molle": Les propos de Gérald Darmanin sèment l'embarras au sein de LaREM|date=15 February 2021 |access-date=6 April 2021|archive-date=4 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404122316/https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/marine-le-pen-molle-les-propos-de-gerald-darmanin-sement-l-embarras-au-sein-de-la-rem_AN-202102150325.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Marine Le Pen called for a "national-unity government" that would include persons such as [[Nicolas Dupont-Aignan]], former LR officials, and [[Souverainism|souverainistes]] on the left, such as former economy minister [[Arnaud Montebourg]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2996931-20210312-marine-pen-promet-gouvernement-union-nationale-si-elue-2022|title=Marine le Pen promet un " gouvernement d'union nationale " si elle est élue|date=12 March 2021 |access-date=6 April 2021|archive-date=16 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316122047/https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2996931-20210312-marine-pen-promet-gouvernement-union-nationale-si-elue-2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the months before the [[2021 French regional elections]], political commentators noted an increased moderation in the FN's platform that aimed to attract conservative voters,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.leparisien.fr/elections/regionales/regionales-en-paca-a-marseille-les-lr-historiques-voteront-thierry-mariani-le-candidat-du-rn-16-05-2021-ESIYLIBSDBAXPAA7HKJPJ2RRGE.php|title = Régionales en Paca : à Marseille, "les LR historiques voteront Thierry Mariani", le candidat du RN|date = 16 May 2021|access-date = 19 May 2021|archive-date = 19 May 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210519015054/https://www.leparisien.fr/elections/regionales/regionales-en-paca-a-marseille-les-lr-historiques-voteront-thierry-mariani-le-candidat-du-rn-16-05-2021-ESIYLIBSDBAXPAA7HKJPJ2RRGE.php|url-status = live}}</ref> as well as a new image being promoted by the party as a force of ''la droite populaire'', i.e. the popular right, the social right.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/le-parti-de-marine-le-pen-engrange-les-ralliements-a-droite-20210511|title=Le parti de Marine le Pen engrange les ralliements à droite|date=11 May 2021|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=19 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519015054/https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/le-parti-de-marine-le-pen-engrange-les-ralliements-a-droite-20210511|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/2021/05/12/le-rn-veut-seduire-la-droite-9540606.php|title=Elections régionales : En Aveyron, le RN veut séduire la droite|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=19 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519015056/https://www.ladepeche.fr/2021/05/12/le-rn-veut-seduire-la-droite-9540606.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The party, nonetheless, fared badly in these elections.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Willsher |first1=Kim |title=Le Pen's far-right party suffers blow in French regional elections |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/27/le-pens-far-right-party-suffers-blow-in-french-regional-elections |work=The Guardian |date=27 June 2021 |access-date=28 June 2021 |archive-date=28 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628073435/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/27/le-pens-far-right-party-suffers-blow-in-french-regional-elections |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2022 French presidential election]], Le Pen again reached the 2nd round with 23.15% of the votes, though she was defeated by incumbent Macron, after receiving 41.45% of the votes in the run-off.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-04-24 |title=French election result: Macron defeats Le Pen and vows to unite divided France |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61209058 |access-date=2023-06-14}}</ref>

In the [[2022 French legislative election]], for which polling had indicated that FN would win only between 15 and 45 seats in the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]], the party received 18.68% of the votes in the first round<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-12 |title=Résultats des législatives 2022 : le Rassemblement national arrive troisième avec 18,68% des voix au premier tour, selon les résultats définitifs |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/elections/legislatives/resultats-des-legislatives-2022-le-rassemblement-national-arrive-troisieme-avec-18-9-des-voix-au-premier-tour-selon-notre-estimation-ipsos-sopra-steria_5184748.html |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Franceinfo |language=fr-FR}}</ref> and won 89 seats in the second round,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-19 |title=France: Marine Le Pen's National Rally estimated to win 89 seats |url=https://www.france24.com/en/video/20220619-marine-le-pen-s-national-rally-estimated-to-win-89-seats |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=France 24}}</ref> a significant increase from the previous total of 8 seats. The 89 seats enabled the National Rally to form a parliamentary group, for which at least 15 deputies are required, for the first time since 1986, when the national assembly was elected by proportional voting. The result made the party the 3rd largest party in the assembly and the largest [[parliamentary opposition]] group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-16 |title=The makeover of France's National Rally |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/marine-le-pen-for-frances-national-rally-the-past-still-looms/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=POLITICO}}</ref>