Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York mayor, vows bold democratic socialist agenda

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor and vowed to run the city "expansively and audaciously" after a historic inauguration. His first, private oath was taken at midnight at the Old City Hall subway stop, a location open only occasionally for guided tours. Attorney General Letitia James administered that oath as Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji, looked on.

At a later, larger ceremony at City Hall he declared: "Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try." He said his administration will not "hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives" and that he will govern as a democratic socialist, signalling an era of bigger government for the city.

Senator Bernie Sanders swore him in at the second event. Mamdani is the city's first Muslim mayor, the first person of South Asian descent and the first African-born mayor; he was born in Uganda. The 34-year-old former state assemblyman won on a platform of tackling the rising cost of living, notably proposing rent freezes and free buses.

He inspired a record turnout of more than two million voters, taking 50% of the vote, nearly 10 points ahead of former governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent. Thousands braved cold weather to watch the City Hall inauguration. Mamdani will move from a one-bedroom in Astoria to Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence on the Upper East Side.

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World, United States, New York, Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, Democratic Socialist, Inauguration