USA Left-wing Mamdani becomes the new mayor of New York
According to US media projections, the left-wing Democrat Zohran Mamdani has won the nationally significant mayoral election in New York.
05.11.2025, 05:05
SDA
The 34-year-old had an unassailable lead after more than 95% of the votes had been counted, as the AP news agency and several US television stations reported on the basis of figures from the New York election administration.
As the leader of the largest city in the USA and the first Muslim to hold this office, the charismatic newcomer could become a formidable opponent to US President Donald Trump. Shortly before the election, Trump had threatened to cut federal funding for the city if Mamdani won.
New York City is not only regarded as the economic and cultural center of the United States. The East Coast metropolis with around eight million inhabitants also carries special political weight.
Trump favorite Cuomo concedes defeat
According to the projections, Mamdani won by around ten percentage points over New York's former governor Andrew Cuomo, who had run as an independent candidate after his defeat in the Democratic primary and had already conceded defeat. Republican Curtis Sliwa finished far behind. Trump had called for Cuomo's election in order to prevent Mamdani from winning.
More than two million people cast their vote - more than at any time since 1969, according to election officials. The previous mayor, Democrat Eric Adams, had also entered the race despite a corruption scandal, but then withdrew his candidacy due to low chances of success.
Mamdani promises rent caps and free buses
Mamdani was born in Uganda, has Indian roots and is considered a rising star on the American left. He is currently still a member of parliament in the state of New York.
During the election campaign, he promised a policy that is primarily geared towards the needs of low and average earners and aims to reduce the horrendous cost of living in the metropolis: He plans a rent cap, free buses and free childcare. This is to be financed by higher taxes for the wealthy and companies.
Mamdani's success story challenges the established power structures in US politics. He represents a clear break with the Democrats' previous course and is also a bogeyman for Trump and his Republicans. Mamdani financed his election campaign mainly through small donations - a deliberate signal against the influence of big donors, which he accuses both Republicans and Democrats of having. During the election campaign, he was supported above all by young voters, trade unions and many people with a history of immigration.
It is expected that his success will fuel an internal debate within the Democrats: between those who are backing a much more left-wing approach in order to stand up to President Trump and those who are campaigning for a more moderate course. Mamdani and his political supporters - including the well-known Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - see the election result as proof that left-wing politics can be capable of winning a majority in the USA.
