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Marine Le Pen, who was the nation's first politician to congratulate Donald Trump on his election victory last week, said Mr Trump's shock win over Democrat Hillary Clinton had marked the onset of a "new political era".

And today she said: "We have many mutual acquaintances, yes. People we have both been friends with for a very long time and that we met long before the US election. Unlike Francois Hollande, Mr Trump has my phone number. If he wants to meet with me, all he needs to do is pick up the phone and dial my number."

She added, Mr Trump's victory has huge historical significance.