A Bulgarian citizen has been elected mayor of the French town of Saint-Maximin de la Baume, located in the Provence region, after winning a closely contested runoff vote.

Vesselina Garello secured 54.2% of the vote in the March 22 second round, running as an independent candidate against Tomas Molina, who represented Marine Le Pen’s National Front. The town has a population of around 18,000.

Garello, who has lived and worked in the municipality for many years, previously served as a municipal councilor for more than a decade, with reports indicating between 12 and 13 years of involvement in local government. She is specialized in local public finances and has built her career in academia and municipal administration.

She holds a doctorate in economics from Aix-Marseille III University, where she also worked as an assistant professor at the Center for Economic Analysis, known as Paul Cezanne. She remained in this academic role until completing her doctorate in 2008. She is a dual citizen and adopted the surname Garello after marrying Pierre Garello, a professor at the same university and the son of well-known liberal economist Jacques Garello.

Her political background includes early involvement with French President Emmanuel Macron’s party, which she later left, citing disagreement over its direction during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has described the period as a shift away from what she viewed as an initial promise of greater freedom and reform, criticizing what she called increased control and financial irresponsibility.

Saint-Maximin de la Baume, where she was elected, is a historic town in Provence. It is also noted for its religious significance, as it is traditionally associated with relics linked to Mary Magdalene, including what is believed to be her skull, preserved locally and attracting cultural and religious interest.