On Thursday, Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, assuming one of the most demanding positions in American politics with a pledge to change governance for the city's suffering, aspirational working class.
Just after midnight, Mamdani, a Democrat, took the oath of office as the city's first Muslim mayor at a closed subway station beneath City Hall, placing his hand on a Quran.
One of the mayor's political heroes, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, administered the oath for the second time at a larger public inauguration on Thursday at noon after Mamdani spent part of the night working in his new office.
"We will govern broadly and boldly starting now. Mamdani addressed the applauding audience, "We might not always succeed, but we will never be accused of lacking the courage to try."
"To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers lives," he stated. On a section of Broadway known as the "Canyon of Heroes," which is well-known for its ticker-tape parades, crowds gathered in the bitter cold for an inauguration viewing party just south of City Hall.
After the event, Mamdani didn't take long to start working. Since federal authorities stated on September 26, 2024, that former Mayor Eric Adams had been charged with corruption, he has withdrawn several executive orders issued by the previous administration.
These decisions were eventually overturned after the Trump administration intervened. Then, he went to a Brooklyn apartment complex to declare that he was establishing two task forces devoted to housing development and rejuvenating a city office devoted to tenant protection.
"I will govern as a democratic socialist." Mamdani and other speakers emphasized the subject that helped him win the election throughout the afternoon ceremony: using governmental authority to help the millions of people who suffer from the high cost of life in the city.
Mamdani frequently mentioned the New Yorkers in his speech, mentioning cooks "wielding a thousand spices," halal cart vendors "whose knees ache from working all day," and laborers in steel-toed boots.
"I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist," Mamdani stated. "I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed 'radical.'"
Prior to taking the oath, Sanders informed the audience that the majority of Mamdani's proposals, such as increasing taxes on the wealthy, are not very radical.
"In the richest country in the history of the world, making sure that people can live in affordable housing is not radical," he stated to the audience. "It is the right and decent thing to do."
Rama Duwaji, Mamdani's wife, joined him on stage. Adams was present as well, seated next to Bill de Blasio, another former mayor.
The children from an elementary school chorus sang "Over the Rainbow" alongside actor Mandy Patinkin, who recently welcomed Mamdani to celebrate Hannukah.
The director of the Islamic Center of New York City, Imam Khalid Latif, delivered the invocation. Cornelius Eady, a poet, recited an original poem titled "Proof." Mamdani is not only the first Muslim mayor of the city, but also the first South Asian and African-born. Mamdani, at 34, is the youngest mayor in the city's history.
Free bus travel and child care In order to fend off the cold, spectators at the Broadway watch party stood shoulder to shoulder, staring up at multiple jumbotrons while singing and dancing.
Some even distributed hot cocoa and hand warmers. Many said they had the impression that they were seeing history. Ariel Segura, a 16-year-old Bronx resident, was one of them.
He had come five hours earlier to guarantee a spot close to the front of the crowd. Wiping away tears, he remarked, "I'm out here fan-girling a politician, it's kind of crazy," as Mamdani wrapped up his remarks. "Now it's time to hold him accountable."
Mamdani campaigned on a targeted program that included pledges of free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about one million households, and a trial of city-run food stores.
This campaign helped make "affordability" a catchphrase throughout the political spectrum. In his inaugural speech, Mamdani emphasized that he would not waste his chance to put such principles into effect.
"Seldom does a time like this occur. We rarely have the chance to change and start over. It is even more uncommon for individuals to be in control of the levers of change.
However, we are aware that far too frequently in the past, moments of immense potential have been quickly given up to a lack of desire and imagination," he stated.
However, he will also have to deal with the day-to-day challenges of managing the biggest city in America, such as dealing with rats, snow, and trash while being held accountable for potholes and subway delays.
Mamdani addressed the challenge in his speech, stating that he is aware that many people will be watching to see if he can achieve.
"They want to know if the left is capable of ruling. They want to know if their problems can be resolved. "They want to know if it's okay to hope once more," he stated.
"So, standing together with the wind of purpose at our backs, we will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: We will set an example for the world."
Rapid ascent to power The son of novelist and scholar Mahmood Mamdani and director Mira Nair, Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda.
Mamdani grew up in a post-9/11 world where Muslims weren't always welcomed after his family relocated to New York world when he was seven years old.
In 2018, he obtained US citizenship. Before running for public office, he assisted Democratic candidates in the city with their campaigns. In 2020, he was elected to a state Assembly seat to represent a portion of Queens.
Mamdani and his spouse will move out of their one-bedroom, rent-stabilized apartment in the outer borough to live in the magnificent mayoral house in Manhattan now that he has assumed office.
After years of a sluggish recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is on the rise as the new mayor takes office. Pre-pandemic levels of violent crime have been reached.
Travelers have returned. Additionally, unemployment has returned to pre-COVID levels after skyrocketing during the pandemic years.
However, there are still serious worries regarding exorbitant costs and growing rent. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez commended New Yorkers in her introductory speech for choosing "courage over fear."
"We have chosen prosperity for the many over spoils for the few," she stated. Handling Trump President Donald Trump considered sending National Guard troops to the city during the mayoral contest and threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won.
However, when Trump invited the Democrat to the White House for what turned out to be a friendly encounter in November, both fans and opponents were taken aback.
"I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job," Trump stated. However, given their strong policy differences, especially with regard to immigration, tensions between the two leaders are almost expected to reappear.
At Thursday's inauguration, a number of speakers denounced the Trump administration's decision to deport more immigrants and voiced optimism that Mamdani's City Hall would support the people the president has singled out.
Due to his criticism of Israel's leadership, Mamdani also encounters resistance and suspicion from some members of the city's Jewish population.
Nevertheless, fans of Mamdani in the crowd on Thursday voiced hope that he would be a unifying force. "There are times when everyone in New York comes together, like when the Mets won the World Series in '86," recalled 64-year-old Metropolitan Opera violinist Mary Hammann. "This feels like that - just colder."
