New mayor says New York will be ‘an example for the world’ and promises to govern as a ‘democratic socialist’

Democrat Zohran Mamdani took office this Thursday (1st) as mayor of New York and stated that the city will be an “example for the world”. In his inauguration speech, Mamdani promised to show that the left is capable of governing. Zohran Mamdani, new mayor of NY, and his wife Rama Duwaji Jeenah Moon/Reuters Mamdani is 34 years old and the first Muslim mayor of New York. He is also the first mayor of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. The Democrat is also the youngest mayor to take office in New York. This Thursday, thousands of people braved the cold in the largest city in the United States to celebrate the inauguration of the Democrat, a virtual unknown for about a year. Zohran Mamdani takes office as mayor of NY Andres Kudacki/AP “Many will be watching. They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the problems that afflict them can be solved,” said Mamdani outside City Hall. According to information from the Reuters news agency, in his speech Mamdani stated that he will govern as a “democratic socialist”. “I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist.” Zohran Mamdani sworn in as mayor of New York In his speech, Mamdani reinforced key campaign promises of universal child care, affordable rents and free bus service. “We will respond to all New Yorkers, not any billionaire or oligarch who thinks they can buy our democracy,” he said. “We will do something New Yorkers do better than anyone else: we will be an example to the world,” he added. Mamdani also emphasized the cost of living, one of the main themes of his campaign, as he promised to help those who have been “betrayed by the established order”. Left-wing allies such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also gave speeches to the approximately 4,000 guests. In midtown Manhattan, thousands of people gathered, many wearing yellow and blue hats emblazoned with “Zohran,” to watch the inauguration ceremony on big screens. “This is the first time in our lives, for both of us, that we have felt a glimmer of political hope,” said Jacob Byerly, a 31-year-old scientist, who was accompanied by his wife, Auburn, a 34-year-old architect. Mamdani was elected last November in a significant victory that could influence this year’s midterm elections, which will determine control of the US Congress. Some Democrats have embraced his style, while Republicans portray him as a contrast in the national political landscape. Symbolic inauguration During the early hours of the morning, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who convicted Trump of fraud in 2024, conducted the private ceremony in a disused subway station. Mamdani’s office said the discreet location, located below City Hall, reflected his commitment to workers. Furthermore, in an unprecedented event for the city, Mamdani used copies of the Koran to take his oath: two from his family and one that belonged to the black Puerto Rican writer Arturo Schomburg, reported The New York Times. With the new position, Mamdani will change address, exchanging his rented apartment in Queens for Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s luxurious residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Some even speculated whether he would move into the official residence, due to a campaign focused on issues of financial accessibility. Mamdani said he would do so mainly due to security concerns. Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and had an elite education, with only a brief stint in politics. To compensate for his lack of experience, he surrounds himself with advisors from previous mayors and former President Joe Biden’s administration. Mamdani also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a mass exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won the election. A defender of the Palestinian cause and very critical of Israel, Mamdani will need to reassure the Jewish community regarding his inclusive leadership. Recently, a collaborator resigned from accompanying him to City Hall after anti-Semitic tweets she had published years ago came to light. rh-bjt/dw/mvv/rpr

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