Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who campaigned on a promise to sort out the affordability disaster in one of America’s costliest cities, was sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor early Thursday.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old immigrant from Uganda, makes historical past as town’s first Muslim mayor, first South Asian mayor and the youngest mayor to carry the high-profile workplace in greater than a century.
The former state assemblyman from Queens captured the world’s consideration and shocked the political institution together with his win in the Democratic major final summer time, working a campaign focused on affordability: He promised to create a common childcare program, freeze the hire for roughly two million rent-stabilized tenants and make metropolis buses “fast and free.”
Mamdani was sworn simply after midnight throughout a personal ceremony alongside his spouse, artist Rama Duwaji.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who Mamdani has described as a “political inspiration,” administered the oath of workplace.
The setting was symbolic. Mamdani was sworn in on the platform of the outdated City Hall subway station beneath City Hall Park in Manhattan – an architectural marvel the place tiled, arched ceilings, coloured glass skylights and brass chandeliers have laid dormant because the station was shuttered in 1945.
The location, which is closed to the general public aside from the occasional guided tour, is one of New York’s 28 authentic subway stations that opened in 1904, ushering in a brand new daybreak of innovation and progress in New York City.
Mamdani has made public transportation a central focus of his agenda. In addition to proposing to make metropolis buses free, he has mentioned his administration would broaden town’s bicycle lane community and optimize streets for pedestrians.
A public ceremony might be held at City Hall Plaza on Thursday afternoon. At least 4,000 persons are anticipated to attend, together with high-profile leaders of the progressive motion: Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will introduce Mamdani, and the general public oath of workplace might be administered by impartial Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
A block social gathering hosted by Mamdani’s transition crew – dubbed the “Inauguration of a New Era” – will line Broadway, with supporters of the brand new mayor gathering exterior the gates of City Hall.
Mamdani’s formidable agenda has drawn some skepticism. He has proposed taxing the rich to pay for his proposals, one thing he can solely do with the assist of the state legislature and the governor. And whereas Mamdani is taking workplace at a time of common financial energy in town, the excessive value of dwelling is squeezing working-class New Yorkers.
The daybreak of Mamdani’s administration additionally comes as the national Democratic Party is wrestling with its id and struggling to energise a divided base. Mamdani’s win has fueled debate about whether or not the social gathering ought to transfer additional to the left and give attention to affordability as its major difficulty in the upcoming midterm elections.