Young socialist Zohran Mamdani wins over New York with his promise of change in the face of Trump

"Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor who has managed to embody in record time both the hope for change in Donald Trump's America and a sense of rebellion against the establishment of his own party, made history this Tuesday at the age of 34 by becoming the first socialist to govern the world capital of capitalism and the first Muslim mayor of the city of 9/11."

"From that unassuming position, Mamdani has raced to global fame on the back of a left-leaning platform sensible or populist, depending on your perspective centered on a commitment to affordability, which this Tuesday proved irresistible to the residents of the country's most populous city, and one of the most expensive in the world, who are increasingly struggling against the rising cost of living."

"The new mayor, who is also the first person of South Asian descent to win the mayoral office in New York City, did so thanks to a dazzling campaign, bolstered by an extraordinary command of social media, which he demonstrated once again at the moment of his victory. It took only about 45 minutes after the polls closed at 9:00 p.m. for major U.S. media outlets, including the AP, to declare him the winner, and then his X account posted a simple 10-second video."

Zohran Mamdani, age 34, won the New York City mayoral election as the city's first socialist and Muslim mayor and its youngest in a century. He also became the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. He rose from a state assembly seat in Albany to global prominence within a year. He ran on a left-leaning platform focused on affordability, combining populist appeals with practical proposals. His campaign used charismatic public engagement, attention-grabbing tactics, and strong social media skills. Major outlets declared his victory about 45 minutes after polls closed, and his team posted a subway-themed victory video.

Read at english.elpais.com