Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democrat, is set to make history as the first Muslim mayor of New York City. Until Wednesday morning (June 25), Mamdani was holding a strong lead against former Governor Andrew Cuomo with 95% of the votes counted. His candidacy has gained a lot of attention for its liberal leaning, particularly from immigrant and working-class communities, which differentiates him from incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
Solving the Affordability Crisis
At the heart of Mamdani’s campaign is his pledge to combat the affordability crisis that grips the city. Speaking to the BBC at a recent event, he said, “This is a city where one in four of its people are living in poverty, a city where 500,000 kids go to sleep hungry every night. And ultimately, it’s a city that is in danger of losing that which makes it so special.”
To solve this, he has put forward opening up city-operated grocery stores, freezing rent on all rent-stabilized units, increasing enforcement for landlords, and setting up a Social Housing Development Agency that would be responsible for building 200,000 subsidized homes within three years.
Increasing Community Support and Education
Mamdani is also campaigning for universal childcare for children between six weeks and five years of age. In education, he vows to abolish tuition fees at public universities and withdraw property tax exemptions from private universities. He also plans to set up a Department of Community Safety to improve access to mental health care, community services, and housing assistance.
Funding Through Wealth Taxes
To finance these ambitious proposals, Mamdani is calling for a 2% city income tax on those earning more than $1 million and higher taxes on corporations. This money would go towards principal initiatives, such as universal childcare, free CUNY and SUNY tuition, expanded tenant legal services, fare-free public transportation, and city-subsidized grocery stores.
Public Transit, Climate, and Infrastructure
Mamdani is going to make riding all of the MTA buses free and place a freeze on subway prices.These policies will draw ridership for public transportation, fight traffic congestion, promote environmental sustainability, and improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.
Immigration, LGBTQ+ Rights, and Controversial Views on Israel
Mamdani has been firm on international and social matters. Mamdani has been a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and called Israel’s behavior “genocide.” He is of the opinion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be brought to book according to international law. Although he is ready to accept Israel’s right to exist, Mamdani believes in the application of international legal norms. He also used to bring legislation to revoke tax-free status from U.S.-based charities that provide funding for Israeli settlements.
At home, Mamdani is a vocal advocate of LGBTQ+ rights. He promises to establish an LGBTQ+ Affairs Office focused on the community, increase access to gender-affirming care, and extend sanctuary protections to undocumented immigrants. His agenda also entails increased legal assistance and language assistance for immigrant communities.
Mamdani has boasted openly about his Muslim heritage during the campaign, even publishing an entire campaign video in Urdu.
With Tuesday’s (June 24) election now a success, Mamdani is waiting for the official confirmation. If so, he will be sworn in this November, a historic occasion not just for New York City, but also for Muslim and immigrant representation in US politics.