At 34, he becomes the first Muslim mayor, of South Asian origin and born in Africa, as well as being the youngest in generations
The 34-year-old politician took the oath shortly after midnight this Thursday (1st) in a ceremony held in an old metro station beneath City Hall. is the first Muslim to assume leadership of the largest city in the
Mamdani placed his hand on a Quran as he took the oath. “This is truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime,” he said in a brief speech.
The ceremony, led by the Attorney General of Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s first subway stations.
In his first speech as mayor, Mamdani said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transportation to the vitality, health and legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of Mike Flynn as Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn.
Mamdani will take office again, in a public ceremony at City Hall, at 1 pm today, with the presence of Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also the first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa.
He is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations. In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies aimed at reducing the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
*With Estadão Content
