Zohran Mamdani, 34, a Democrat with a strong social agenda, former rapper and active social media user, scored an unexpected victory and will become the city’s youngest mayor in a century, as well as the first Muslim and representative of the South Asian diaspora to hold this office.
Why was Mamdani’s victory possible?
Firstly, New York has accumulated a demand for change: rising tariffs, a shortage of affordable housing, a feeling of alienation from the political elite — all this fuelled the energy of the protest vote. Mamdani managed to combine a radical-sounding social agenda (price freezes, higher taxes on the rich, free bus travel and expanded social services) with a flamboyant persona — TikTok formats, street walks and specifics that ordinary city dwellers could understand.
Secondly, this is a defeat for New York’s hereditary leadership. Andrew Cuomo, a representative of a political dynasty and an experienced personnel manager, has become a symbol of a system where power is ‘passed on’ within narrow circles. Mamdani’s victory, despite his intellectual background (his father is a professor and his mother is a film director), shows that voters are no longer willing to automatically trust ‘inherited’ names if they do not deliver tangible improvements in everyday life.
Political agenda and real risks
Mamdani positions himself as a ‘democratic socialist’ — a label that always causes polarisation in American politics. For many, this means redistribution of resources and strengthening the role of the municipality in social policy, as well as a threat to entrepreneurship and a shift towards populism. Practical questions about where to get the money for the proposed programmes and how not to undermine the city’s economic activity remain unanswered. The rhetoric of Republicans and some centrists, which boils everything down to ‘communism,’ is more of a tool for polarisation. However, there is a real financial and administrative challenge: large cities need viable models of financing and coordination with state and federal levels.
Geopolitical axis
At first glance, the mayor of New York is a purely ‘local’ figure, but the city’s influence on the American and international agenda is significant. New York is a financial, media and diplomatic hub; it is home to the headquarters of banks, major media outlets and UN organisations. A mayor who speaks out loudly on international issues (including the Middle East) automatically gains influence in global discussions. Amid growing ideological divisions in the United States, this could mean a strengthening of ‘urban’ foreign policy, which does not always coincide with federal policy. Such inconsistency could complicate coordination in crises and create new tensions between the mayors of major cities and Washington.
President Donald Trump has already accused Mamdani of ‘anti-Americanism’ and threatened to cut off federal funding. New York is heavily dependent on federal subsidies and assistance for infrastructure projects. Mamdani’s practical policies in the near future will have to show whether he can navigate between his radical programme and the need to maintain external sources of funding.
Democrat Andrew Cuomo, speaking after his defeat, said: ‘This campaign [Mamdani’s] was to contest the philosophies that are shaping the Democratic Party, the future of this city, and the future.’ When Cuomo’s supporters booed Mamdani, the losing candidate called on them to stop and behave with dignity.
Donald Trump’s supporters reacted much more sharply to Mamdani’s victory. ‘Legal immigrants who hate America elected a Communist Muslim Jihadist,’ wrote Florida Congressman Randy Fine. ‘New York City has fallen. America is next if we don’t stop it.’
Mamdani, in his victory speech, addressed the president: ‘Donald Trump, I know you’re watching, so I have four words for you: “Turn the volume up.”’
