Steve Bannon tells National Front members in France history is on their side

Former White House strategistSteve Bannon toldparty members of France's far-rightNational Front on Saturday thathistory was on their side and would eventually lead them to victory.

"What I've learned is that you're part of a worldwide movement that's bigger than France, bigger than Italy, bigger than Hungary, bigger than all of us," said Bannon, an American nationalist anda champion of Donald Trump's America Firstagenda.

Bannon, whoranright-wingBreitbartNews,was among Trump's closest aides during the 2016U.S. election campaign, the presidential transition and hisfirst months in office. But the pair had a bitter public falling out and Bannon wasfired by the White House last August, though he continued tospeak with Trump and tried to promote the president's agenda.

"I did not come here as a teacher, I came here to Europe as an observer and to learn," he added, pointing at recent elections in Italy as a sign of a rising populist wave.

Bannon advised members how they should handle accusations of racism.

"Let them call you racist. Let them call you xenophobes. Let them call you nativist. Wear it as a badge of honour because every day we get stronger and they get weaker."

At a news conference following the address,Bannon waxed lyrical about Marion Marechal-Le Pen, the niece of National Front leader Marine Le Pen, seeing a great future ahead of the "rising star."

Bannonspoke only about the28-year-old niece at thejoint news conference with Marechal-Le Pen.

"She is not simply a rising star on the right in France. She's one of the most impressive people in the entire world," Bannontold reporterswithout mentioning his host Marine Le Pen.

'Absolutely electrifying'

Bannon met Marion, who temporarily withdrew from politics after her aunt's presidential election defeat last May, at the CPAC conservative conference in Maryland last month, where he said she was "absolutely electrifying."

Marion's U.S. speech was widely commented on in French media as posing a challenge for her aunt. Asked by reporters how she felt about Bannon's comments, Marine Le Pen turned to the American and said that journalists were trying to stir up competition between the two women.

"They don't understand that we defend the same ideas, in the education field for her and in politics for me," she said. "They're asking me how I feel about the good things you said about Marion, to which I reply: they make me glad."

Bannon then quipped: "We call that fake news."

Le Pen was hoping that the National Front congress in Lille would help her reassert her authority, after her defeat to pro-Europe centrist Emmanuel Macron prompted criticism of her style and policies.

Marion Marechal-Le Pen, a former lawmaker, is more socially conservative and economically liberal than her aunt. She was not present at the congress in Lille on Saturday, having said she is now working on an education project.