Zohran Mamdani (left), alongside his wife Rama Duwaji, during his inauguration as mayor of New York on January 1, 2026. ANDRES KUDACKI / AP
A new chapter in New York's political history was written on Thursday, January 1, on the steps of City Hall in the heart of Manhattan. Under the gaze of thousands of supporters gathered at midday before giant screens on Broadway, Zohran Mamdani, age 34, took the oath of office as the city's new mayor. The Democratic Socialist, who led one of the most dramatic political campaigns in recent memory, now faces his greatest challenge: making good on the many promises that propelled him to power.
"Today begins a new era," he declared, opening a speech filled with popular (and culinary) references to cosmopolitan New York. He spoke in front of the flags of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island) a symbol of the city's diversity: "I promise you this: If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor. Regardless of whether we agree, I will protect you, celebrate with you, mourn alongside you, and never, not for a second, hide from you."
In the crowd, supporters, wearing hats and badges in Mamdani's campaign colors, cheered his speech. Many see his rise as the first sign of hope a year after Donald Trump's election. "As a beacon of light in all the darkness of last year, I'm very hopeful," said Ellen Goldsmith, 71, an acupuncturist born in Queens, who divides her time between Portland and New York and came to witness the swearing-in with her 25-year-old daughter.
