- Committed to setting an example for the world through New York’s leadership.
- Focuses message on cost of living pressures and economic justice
- Promises to stand alongside those who, he believes, have been betrayed by the established order.
Zohran Mamdani promised Thursday to show that left-wing politics can succeed by becoming mayor of New York for a term that will certainly see him cross swords with US President Donald Trump.
Thousands of people gathered in freezing conditions in the United States’ largest city to celebrate the 34-year-old Democrat’s inauguration after his impressive political rise in relative anonymity just a year ago.
“They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the struggles that afflict them can be resolved,” Mamdani said outside city hall.
“We will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone: we will set an example for the world,” he added in a 24-minute speech.
Mamdani, New York’s first Muslim mayor, emphasized cost-of-living issues at the heart of his mayoral campaign, promising to help those “betrayed by the established order.”
Left-wing allies Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also gave speeches to some 4,000 ticketed guests.
Thousands more people gathered in midtown Manhattan, many wearing yellow and blue hats emblazoned with “Zohran,” to watch Mamdani’s ceremony on large screens.
“This is the first time in our lives that any of us have felt any kind of political hope,” said Jacob Byerly, a 31-year-old scientist. AFP alongside his wife, Auburn.
An ambitious program
It remains to be seen whether Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, can implement his ambitious agenda, which includes rent freezes, universal child care and free public buses.
Once the election is over, “the symbolism has its limits with voters. The results start to matter a lot more,” said John Kane, a professor at New York University.
Trump’s behavior could be decisive.
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the two men had surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
But one of the flashpoints could be immigration raids as Trump leads an escalating crackdown on migrants across the United States.
Mamdani is committed to protecting immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to cut federal funding to New York state if he chose Mamdani, whom he called a “crazy communist.”
The mayor said he thought Trump was a fascist.
Symbolic inauguration
Mamdani’s inauguration was full of symbolism.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud, was sworn in privately at midnight in an abandoned subway station.
Mamdani’s office said the low-key venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to workers.
And for the first time in the city, Mamdani used Qurans to take the oath of office as mayor — two from his family and one belonging to Puerto Rico-born black writer Arturo Schomburg, the New York Times reported.
This new job comes with a change of address as he trades his rent-controlled apartment in the Queens neighborhood for Gracie Mansion, the luxurious residence of the mayor on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Some wondered if he would move into the official mansion given his campaigning on affordability issues. Mamdani said he did it mainly for security reasons.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian descent, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven and enjoyed an elite education, with only a relatively brief stint in politics.
To compensate for his inexperience, he surrounds himself with seasoned aides recruited from previous municipal administrations and the government of former US President Joe Biden.
Mamdani also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a mass exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate executives have refuted the claims.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the city’s Jewish community – the largest in the United States – of his inclusive leadership.
Recently, one of his recruits resigned after it was revealed that she had posted anti-Semitic tweets years ago.
