A Danish businessman has been elected mayor of Rostock, becoming the first non-German citizen to head a large city in Germany.

Officials announced late Sunday that 46-year-old Claus Ruhe Madsen received 57.1% in a runoff vote against Left party candidate Steffen Bockhahn.

Ruhe Madsen isn't affiliated with a political party but had the support of the center-right Christian Democrats and pro-business Free Democrats.

The northeastern port city has a population of about 210,000 and lies across the Baltic Sea from Denmark.

Until his election, the big-bearded Ruhe Madsen ran a chain of furniture stores around Rostock.