Democratic Socialism Arrives In NY With Zohran Mamdani; He Promises To Govern ‘Audaciously’

NEW YORK, NY – Zohran Mamdani has taken office as New York City’s mayor following a dual swearing-in process that marked a historic moment for the city and signaled a sharp ideological shift in its leadership.

Hours after delivering his inaugural address, Mamdani traveled to Brooklyn, where he took the first action of his administration, signing a set of executive orders focused on housing and moves that had Israel seething.

The 34-year-old democratic socialist was first sworn in at midnight on New Year’s Day in a private ceremony held at a decommissioned subway station beneath City Hall in Manhattan. New York Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath as Mamdani placed his hand on the Quran, becoming the first Muslim and first South Asian to lead America’s largest city. His wife, Rama Duwaji, held the Quran during the ceremony.

Later in the day, a larger public inauguration was held on the steps of City Hall, where US Senator Bernie Sanders administered the oath again. Addressing a crowd estimated at around 40,000 people who gathered despite sub-zero temperatures, Mamdani pledged to govern “expansively and audaciously” as a democratic socialist.

“I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical,” he said, promising to bring back what he described as “the era of big government” to improve New Yorkers’ lives. “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” he added.

As CNN noted, Mamdani’s message was that the left had won the hard-fought race for mayor, and his administration is now intent on showing the rest of the country that progressive liberals can, in fact, govern.

Mamdani did strike a unifying tone. He spoke directly to opponents and critics who consider his  too liberal and unrealistic. “If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor,” Mamdani told the crowd. “Regardless of whether we agree, I will protect you, celebrate with you, mourn alongside you and never, not for a second, hide from you.”

Sanders, a longtime political ally, said Mamdani’s victory represented a challenge to entrenched political and economic interests, calling it a win against “the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment and enormously wealthy oligarchs”.

Mamdani’s campaign centered on affordability in one of the world’s most expensive cities. He has pledged free bus services, expanded childcare, government-run retail outlets and a freeze on rent increases in city-regulated housing, proposals that would require state-level approvals and substantial funding.

The inauguration reflected an unprecedented level of grassroots engagement. According to CNBC, Mamdani raised $2.6 million for the mayoral transition and celebrations from nearly 30,000 contributors more than any New York mayor this century, both in total amount and number of individual donations (IANS)