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Mamdani has big promises to deliver on as New York mayor

Aaron Tilton
January 1, 2026

Zohran Mamdani is writing New York history. The 34-year-old immigrant has become the first Muslim and Asian American mayor of the largest city in the United States. Now, can he deliver on the promises of his campaign?

https://p.dw.com/p/56CXA

Zohran Mamdani, a 34‑year‑old migrant from the Indian diaspora in Uganda, won New York's mayoral race in November, becoming the most prominent face of the US left. Promising to champion working-class New Yorkers, he has pledged protections for immigrants and ambitious policies such as free child care, free buses and targeted rent freezes.

US President Donald Trump and his allies have called the ideas too expensive in the short term. Now, Mamdani must prove he can deliver.