Jerusalem has elected a rightwing businessman as its mayor, after a hard-fought election that will usher in a period of secular rule in a city revered by ­millions of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Nir Barkat, a former high-tech entrepreneur who retired from business and entered local politics five years ago, won a comfortable victory with 51 per cent of the vote. His closest rival, Meir Porush, a rabbi and veteran ultra-orthodox religious politician, won 42 per cent.