Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old state lawmaker from Queens, was elected on Tuesday as the 111th mayor of New York City, marking a historic victory for the city’s progressive movement, according to The Associated Press.
The Democratic socialist’s triumph capped a meteoric rise from relative obscurity to the city’s highest office, defeating better-known rivals including former Governor Andrew M Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mr Mamdani will take office on 1 January, becoming the youngest mayor in more than a century, the first Muslim and South Asian mayor, and only the city’s second democratic socialist mayor.
Born in Uganda to parents of Indian descent, Mr Mamdani moved to New York City as a child. His campaign centred on affordability issues, including free buses, a rent freeze for rent-stabilised apartments, and universal free childcare.
“It feels like hope,” said Michelle McSweeney, 44, who cast her ballot for Mr Mamdani in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. “I don’t think I’ve felt like this since Barack Obama.”
Mr Mamdani’s victory was powered by a coalition of young voters, immigrants, and first-time registrants. Social media played a significant role in mobilising support, and his upbeat, energetic campaigning resonated with many.
Mohammed Khaleque, 56, a Bangladeshi voter from the Bronx, said, “There is a little pride that he is the first Muslim mayor, but he’s the mayor that can help all working people in New York City. He talks about everyone.”
The mayor-elect now faces the challenge of governing a city with a $115 billion budget and a workforce of 300,000, including more than 34,000 police officers. Relations with President Trump, who has repeatedly attacked him and threatened to withhold federal funds, are expected to be contentious.
While Mr Mamdani received endorsements from progressive figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, some centrist Democrats and Jewish leaders expressed concern over his stances on Israel and taxation.
For his defeated opponents, the election represents a sharp reversal. Mr Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, may see this as the end of his political career, while Mr Sliwa, a former Guardian Angels founder, failed to attract sufficient support in a city leaning heavily Democratic.
Julia Friedman, 24, an actress from Manhattan, said of Mr Mamdani, “He’s just got this kind of attitude that feels like he’s the kind of person who really wants to make change happen.”
With historic firsts and ambitious pledges, Zohran Mamdani’s election signals both a generational shift and a test of progressive politics in one of the world’s most complex cities.
– Reporting by news agencies
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