NEW YORK — Zohran Kwame Mamdani officially took the reins of the world’s financial capital on New Year’s Day, ushering in a new era for New York City with a vow to govern “expansively and audaciously” as a democratic socialist.
In a ceremony heavy with symbolism on the steps of City Hall, Mamdani was sworn into office by Senator Bernie Sanders. The veteran Vermont senator hailed the victory as a triumph over “the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment, the president of the United States and some enormously wealthy oligarchs.” Mamdani, a former state assemblyman and the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, took his oath on two Korans held by his wife, Rama Duwaji.
Mamdani’s inaugural address signaled a sharp departure from the centrist policies of his predecessors. He pledged to revive “the era of big government” to tackle the city’s affordability crisis. “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical,” Mamdani told the crowd. “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”
The new mayor’s “People’s Plan” includes ambitious promises: free bus service, universal childcare starting at six months, government-run grocery stores, and a total freeze on rent increases for rent-regulated housing. However, the financial reality of these programs looms large. Approximately 45% of the city’s $18.5 billion income tax revenue is generated by just 1% of the highest earners—a group Mamdani and Sanders have repeatedly targeted with “tax the rich” rhetoric.
“The billionaire class in this city and country have to got to understand that in America, they cannot have it all,” Sanders said during the ceremony. “That lesson begins today in New York City.”
Mamdani’s path to City Hall was marked by a narrow 51% victory in a three-way race against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. While he frames his win as a mandate, the close margin suggests a city deeply divided over his radical platform. During his campaign, Mamdani faced criticism for his past rhetoric regarding the police—whom he once labeled a “major threat”—and his participation in protests that included anti-Hindu slogans.
The transition has already seen friction; the city’s fire commissioner resigned recently, citing concerns over Mamdani’s past statements regarding the Jewish community. In an effort to govern a city of 8.3 million, Mamdani has recently attempted to reach out to Jewish leaders and has softened his stance on the total seizure of the “means of production,” focusing instead on the immediate “affordability” of urban life.
The public celebrations continued with a massive block party on Broadway, where an estimated 40,000 New Yorkers braved temperatures of -2°C (28°F) to mark the historic shift in the city’s leadership. The inauguration concludes the term of Eric Adams, the city’s second Black mayor, whose administration ended under the cloud of federal investigations and tensions with the White House over the migrant crisis. (Source: IANS)
