Mr. Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the mayor of New York (USA) at a rare ceremony, taking place at an abandoned subway station located below the city hall. The event took place shortly after the city entered 2026 and was chaired by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
At the age of 34, Mr. Mamdani became the 112th mayor of New York, and also the first Muslim, the first South Asian, and the youngest leader of the city in more than a century. The oath-taking ceremony was held privately before the larger-scale official inauguration ceremony planned in front of the city hall, expected to attract about 4,000 attendees.
The sworn location is one of the first 28 subway stations in New York, put into operation in 1904. This station once opened an era of renovation and growth for the city, but now no longer serves public transport and only occasionally welcomes tourist groups. Mr. Mamdani said that the selection of this space symbolizes the beginning of a new era for New York.
Speaking after the oath-taking ceremony, Mr. Mamdani said this is the greatest honor and privilege in his life. On social media on December 31, 2025, he wrote that the election campaign was built on listening to New Yorkers and the city's management in the coming time will also be based on that spirit, with the commitment to quickly get to work.
However, some analysts expressed skepticism about Mr. Mamdani's ability to realize the ambitious agenda. Notable commitments mentioned include freezing rental costs, providing comprehensive health care for children, and deploying free public bus services.
Mr. Mamdani was born into an Indian family in Uganda and moved to the United States at the age of 7. He became a naturalized citizen in 2018. He is the son of Ms. Mira Nair, a film producer, and Mr. Mahmood Mamdani, a professor and research expert on Africa.
