Mamdani, sworn in as mayor of New York: "We will govern for everyone, not just for billionaires"
The Democrat takes the reins of the city and, hand in hand with Bernie Sanders, assumes the responsibility of paving the way for the left and creating a real alternative to Trump.
WashingtonAlong with the usual New Year's resolutions, Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as mayor of New York City. With his left hand on a Quran as he took the oath of office, the 34-year-old socialist made history as the first Muslim to govern the city. "I will govern for all New Yorkers, not just for the billionaire oligarchs who think they can buy the city. We will govern without shame or insecurity, without apologizing for what we believe. I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist. I will not abandon my principles," he declared. "As the great senator from Vermont [Bernie Sanders] once said, what is radical is a system that gives so much to so few and denies so many people the basic necessities of life. Every single day, we will strive to ensure that no New Yorker is excluded from access to any of these basic necessities," he emphasized. In a speech addressed directly to New Yorkers, filled with references to the city's cultural and culinary diversity, Mamdani promised an "ambitious and bold" administration. He didn't shy away from the high expectations created by his meteoric rise, but rather embraced them as a hallmark of his approach to politics. "We may not succeed, but we cannot be accused of not having had the courage to try."
This ambition was already evident in his promise to reach all New Yorkers, not just those who voted for him, with cross-cutting issues: reforming the city's property tax system; creating a "new Community Safety Department, which will address mental health crises and allow the police to focus on their work"; putting an end to "abusive landlords who mistreat tenants, and freeing small businesses from the shackles of convoluted bureaucracy." Without making it explicit, Mamdani has highlighted the diversity of the city and his own government by speaking a few words in Urdu, the language of his Pakistani aunt, and expressing pride in his Indian heritage.
With Sanders and Ocasio
The new champion of the left was accompanied by the two totems of the Democratic Party's progressive wing: independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Sanders administered the oath of office, and Ocasio-Cortez opened the ceremony, fueling the optimism generated by Mamdani's meteoric victory, a man who was virtually unknown just a year ago. With the swearing-in ceremony presided over by Sanders, the generational shift within the party's progressive wing is also formalized: the independent senator, who has earned the reputation of being the voice of the left, now passes the torch to the 34-year-old socialist. Mamdani takes the reins of New York City today, while also assuming the responsibility of forging a path from the left and finding an effective alternative to Trump's far-right populism. "Thank you for giving us, from coast to coast, the hope and the vision that we can create a government that works for everyone, not just the rich and a select few," Sanders celebrated, reminding the grassroots that, just as they propelled Mamdani to victory in the City Council—his campaign boasted 100,000 supporters—the senator recounted Mamdani's feats: he highlighted how he confronted "the control of the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment, the President of the United States, and some big oligarchs" and how he "defeated them in the biggest political upset in modern American history." Although, more than confronting Trump, it could be said that Mamdani dazzled the tycoon. "I think it will have, we hope, a truly fantastic mayor," The Republican said this after receiving the socialist in the Oval Office in a completely improbable and unexpected reaction. Trump was giving his supposed rival the eye in a scene that surely provoked a fit of rage from Vice President JD Vance.
"New York, we have chosen courage over fear," celebrated Ocasio-Cortez, savoring a symbolic victory for the party's more leftist wing, which has often been sidelined by the establishment. What was seen as a fringe group within the larger Democratic family has gained control of one of the country's major cities, which could be a great showcase for its platform.
New York Attorney General and Trump's political enemy, Letitia James, officiated the private ceremony in which Mamdani was sworn in beforehand in the abandoned subway station under City Hall, which was built in 1904 during the city's so-called Gilded Age. James led the prosecution in the tax fraud case for which the president's family was convicted. In retaliation, Trump has tried unsuccessfully to bring charges against James through his Justice Department, which has now become his personal accountability ministry.
Message of hope
To the rhythm of Here commas of sun and Over the RainbowThe ceremony was intended as a ray of hope after a 2025 overshadowed by Trump's absolutist actions. Democratic voters watched helplessly as the Republican's aggressive authoritarian advance unfolded while their party remained paralyzed. The long Democratic winter seemed to be coming to an end last November with Mamdani's victory and the wins of the Democratic candidates in the New Jersey and Virginia state elections. 2026 begins with the question of whether spring will ever arrive. Trump's popularity is at one of its lowest points since he returned to the White House almost a year ago, due to the material frustrations of his voters.
The Conquest Mamdani in the New York City governmentIt rests on a series of promises tied to the lives of many city residents: increasingly suffocating rents, soaring public transportation fares, and a rising cost of living with stagnant wages. Much of Mamdani's plan to address economic inequality hinges on revenue collection through tax increases for the wealthiest 1% of the city.
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has already hinted at her opposition to raising taxes to fund the socialist's campaign. Twelve years ago, Democrat Bill de Blasio won the mayoral election with a campaign similar to Mamdani's: it focused on tackling New York's economic and social inequalities. Many residents and members of the left placed their hopes and expectations in the newly elected mayor, but eight years later he left office without having fulfilled his promise.