Who is Zohran Mamdani, Newly-Minted New York City Mayor?
Zohran Mamdani speaks after winning the mayoral election, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. 
Self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has won the mayoral election in New York City, defeating independent former Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.European left-wing officials have been closely tracking Zohran Mamdani’s rise, hoping to borrow a page from his playbook to replicate his success in their own upcoming local elections, according to Western media reports.So, what are the views of this little-known New York assemblyman?
Domestic Vision
Mamdani is an advocate for affordable housing, tenant protections, and universal healthcare, positioning himself as a champion for working-class communities. Housing: A rent freeze on 2 million stabilized apartments, building 200,000 affordable units via public investment. Proposed to “socialize land and housing” through community land trusts (CLTs) to convert them to community-controlled affordable housing. Economic justice: Champions an increase of the top corporate tax rate to 11.5%, rejecting Trump’s threats to withhold federal aid.
Foreign Policy
Supportive of Palestinian rights, he vowed to honor the ICC warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes if he travels to New York. Criticized Donald Trump’s airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling them “unconstitutional military action.” Noted that Trump “ran for president promising to end wars, not start new ones,” adding that Iran strikes represented “a dark, new chapter in his endless betrayals that now threaten to plunge the world deeper into chaos.” Called for normalized ties with Cuba and Venezuela, albeit calling them “authoritarian” regimes whose “dictators” allegedly “stifled free and fair elections, jailed opponents, and suppressed a free press.” Urged removal of US sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba in a Sept. 2025 The Moment podcast interview, saying that punitive restrictions “haven’t toppled a single dictator but have devastated families, leading to shortages of food and medicine.” As a DSA Cuba Working Group signee, pushed for removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.
On Ukraine
While repeating that he “stands with Ukraine,” Zohran Mamdani was cited as saying in a 2023 Gothamist interview that “we can’t ignore the billions funneled to endless conflicts while New Yorkers freeze under ConEd’s greedy rate hikes. Redirect the war budget to housing and heat for our people.”
AmericasNYC Mayoral Election Results: Mamdani Declares Victory05:34 GMT
