Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic primary for mayoral elections in New York City. On Tuesday, he defeated former New York governor Andrew Cuomo in arguably one of the biggest political upsets in recent times.
At 33, Mr Mamdani now heads into the November election with a platform focused on housing reform, economic redistribution, transit access, and a foreign policy stance that has drawn national attention.
Zohran Mamdani's Stance On Israel-Palestine
A vocal supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Mr Mamdani has called Israel's military actions in Gaza "genocide," and sought to cut city ties with firms operating in Israeli settlements.
While he supports Israel's right to exist and condemns violence against civilians on all sides, he has repeatedly criticised the country's ongoing military assault in Gaza, particularly following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
In an interview with Zeteo's Mehdi Hasan, he said he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under international law if he visited New York City, citing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant.
His activism dates back to college, where he co-founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. His mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, has expressed similar views, boycotting Israeli cultural events in protest of what she has called "apartheid" policies.
Zohran Mamdani's Campaign Policies
Housing And Rent Reform
Zohran Mamdani's priority is housing. He has pledged an immediate rent freeze on all rent-stabilised units and proposed a Social Housing Development Agency to build 2 lakh publicly owned affordable homes over the next decade. He would fund this through increased taxes on millionaires and large corporations.
Economic Justice
His fiscal plan includes a 2 per cent income tax on New Yorkers earning over $1 million and higher corporate taxes, reforms projected to raise $20 billion. That revenue would go towards universal childcare, tuition-free public college, subsidised grocery stores in underserved areas, and fare-free public transit. Mr Mamdani has also called for a $30 per hour minimum wage by 2030.
Public Transit And Climate
Building on successful pilot programmes, Zohran Mamdani wants to make all Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) buses permanently fare-free and freeze subway fares. His infrastructure plan includes congestion pricing, expanded bike lanes, and better transit access across boroughs to reduce car dependency and fight climate change.
Childcare And Education
He proposes city-funded universal childcare and pre-K, tuition-free CUNY and SUNY colleges, and taxing private universities that currently avoid property taxes.
Public Safety
Rejecting traditional policing models, Zohran Mamdani proposes a new Department of Community Safety focused on housing, mental health care, and outreach. He also plans an 800 per cent increase in funding for anti-hate programmes, targeting antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Asian violence.
LGBTQ+ And Immigrant Rights
Zohran Mamdani supports expanded gender-affirming care, an LGBTQIA+ Affairs Office, and full sanctuary protections for undocumented New Yorkers. His immigrant rights plan also puts focus on legal aid and language access, particularly for Muslim and South Asian communities.
