To understand the Front National's appeal, look at France's political elite

Laurent Fabius, the Paris climate deal overseer, is exactly the sort of politician 6 million French voters turned away from

If you want to understand why 6 million disaffected French voters gave their support to Marine Le Pen's Front National candidates in the regional elections (and will do so again when they get the chance), you could do worse than contemplate the career of Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister who chaired the 10-day summit on climate change in Paris.

Climate change campaigners, who worry most about the existential threat of global warming (I do myself), heaved a collective sigh of relief that leaders of 196 countries pulled off a cliffhanger agreement on Saturday night. Sceptics point out that key clauses are more aspirational than substantial; wishful hot air, we might say. Even supporters are wary.