'Today begins a new era' — New York mayor Mamdani at inauguration

Democrat Zohran Mamdani became New York City's mayor on Thursday (January 1), vowing during a public swearing-in ceremony on the steps of City Hall to implement an ambitious agenda aimed at making the nation’s largest city more affordable for working people.

"My fellow New Yorkers, today begins a new era," Mamdani said.

"I stand before you moved by the privilege of taking this sacred oath, humbled by the faith that you have placed in me," he added.

Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party’s left-wing democratic socialist faction, won last November in a high-profile victory that could influence this year’s U.S. midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Some Democrats have embraced his approach, while Republicans portray him as a national political foil.

The 34-year-old campaigned heavily on cost-of-living issues and was sharply critical of Republican former President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings have declined over the past year amid economic concerns.

Many of New York's 8 million residents—some hopeful, some apprehensive—expect Mamdani to be a disruptive political force. In a speech following his public swearing-in, he emphasized his core campaign promises: universal childcare, affordable rents, and free bus service.

The inauguration program included remarks by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, fellow democratic socialists at the forefront of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing.

Before the public ceremony, Mamdani was privately sworn in as mayor in the first minutes of the New Year at the historic City Hall subway station, which was decommissioned decades ago and is open only occasionally through guided tours.

Reflecting his Muslim faith, Mamdani used a Quran, Islam’s holiest book, for his oath—a first for a New York City mayor.

-Production: Soren Larson, Aleksandra Michalska, Hussein Waaile, Christine Kiernan/Reuters