Michele Rubirola has elected the first woman mayor of France's Marseille city.

She replaced Jean-Claude Gaudin, who ruled the city for a quarter of a century.

According to RFI, 51 municipal councilors voted for Rubirola. Thus, nearly a week of suspense after the poll which failed to give her green-left coalition an absolute majority has ended, Reuters reported.

Her election marked the end of a conservative rule in Marseille.

Rubirola promised to clean up the city. "This is the end of clannishness, nepotism and cronyism," she told supporters.