Marine Le Pen was re-elected leader of the right-wing French National Front party at its annual congress in Lille.

The election took place in a postal ballot in which Le Pen was the only candidate on the ballot.

The party agreed new statutes including removing the party founder, Marine's father, Jean-Marie, as lifetime president.

Le Pen got support from former chief White House Strategist Steve Bannon at the congress.

In a speech he said the Front National is part of a worldwide movement.

"Let them call you racist, let them call you xenophobes, let them call you nativists. Wear it as a badge of honour because everyday we get stronger and they get weaker."

Marine Le Pen was among audience members applauding the address from Bannon, who ran the right-wing Breitbart News and was among Donald Trump's closest aides during the 2016 U.S. election campaign, the presidential transition and his first months in office.

But the pair had a bitter public falling-out and Bannon was fired by the White House last August, although he continued to speak with Trump and tried to promote the president's agenda.