Vladimir Putin did just fine in France’s nationwide local elections, which concluded with a second and final round of voting on Sunday. Right-wing and far-right parties with leaders who cozy up to or embrace the Russian president got a combined 54.6% of vote in the most representative aspect of the two-phase balloting.

The Gaullist conservatives of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has described as “a tragedy” the “separation between Europe and Russia” and regards Russia under Mr. Putin as France’s natural “partner,”...