Zohran Mamdani – the first global mayor

When people from outside the United States think about the country, they most often picture New York. It’s a city everyone „knows” – from movies, television, photos, and social media. The symbol of America’s primacy on the global stage, the American Dream come true. That’s – in part – why the mayoral election in New York City became such a global affair. But there’s the other part – it became a global sensation when the underdog – a little-known member of the state legislature, Zohran Mamdani – defeated the favorite in the Democratic primary, backed by enormous funding – Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, a Muslim, an immigrant, suddenly became a new hope for the Democratic Party – a party of shattered reputation after Kamala Harris lost the presidency to Donald Trump. For years, Democrats backed centrist candidates. It was no coincidence that Bernie Sanders never won a presidential nomination. Democratic power brokers – such as Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama – are convinced that the path to victory leads right through the middle ground. In that optics, Mamdani’s primary win was a surprise and a sign that perhaps the way of winning is quite different from the one proposed by the party’s luminaries. It could potentially open a new chapter for Democratic politicians who wanted to challenge the status quo – counting on a rising-star career path rather than the old-fashioned one.

The new mayor’s campaign was effective because of message discipline (freezing rents, free childcare, free and fast buses) but also because it was aimed not only at Donald Trump – but also at the Democratic establishment. Mamdani made use of many of Donald Trump’s key campaign promises (making living more affordable) and mixed them with the gospel of hope – borrowing it from Barack Obama’s breakout campaign of 2008.

Mamdani’s omnipresence – in social media, in traditional outlets, at internet shows, on the streets – made him a world-famous figure. A symbol of the resistance to Donald Trump – who called the mayoral hopeful a communist. Young, well-spoken, down-to-earth, with a unique family history – this already resembles the prominent biography of another American leader. The politician from New York has emerged as the new Obama – but for the younger generation. Millennials had their moment of political awakening when Barack Obama first entered the presidential bid; for Gen Z-ers the true symbol of their awakening – and at the same time their opposition to Donald Trump’s policies – was Mamdani’s campaign, not the campaign of Kamala Harris.

Because of social media algorithms and the virality of Mamdani’s content, he quickly became a TikTok sensation. People from around the world were dancing to the trending audio „The name is Mamdani” – a line from the mayoral debate when Mamdani schooled Cuomo on how to pronounce his name – mixed with a viral sound.

That’s how Mamdani’s campaign went global. He was new, fresh, viral. And he opposed Trump – who – from a distance – was watched sometimes with disbelief, sometimes with disillusion, sometimes with fear – rather than with hope. Mamdani’s platform was also appealing to Europeans, especially younger ones. In Europe, he is regarded more as a center-left politician rather than a far-left lunatic or communist – as American right-wing media often portray him.

Mamdani knew what he was doing – even though people from other countries couldn’t vote – their positive reception of his candidacy was an important factor for foreign-born Americans deciding whom to vote for.

International aspects of the mayoral campaign in New York City weren’t only visible in Mamdani’s candidacy, his message, and social media presence, but also in one more element. Surprisingly – foreign policy suddenly became one of the key issues in this election. Mostly because of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Zohran Mamdani broke one remaining taboo of American politics – he publicly criticized Israel – a move that for many politicians would have been a kiss of death in their public lives. But for Mamdani – it was an authentic statement that aligned well with his public persona. He also drew a thick line – between being critical of Israel and his sentiment towards Jewish New Yorkers. But for Andrew Cuomo – an elitist candidate, this time running as an independent – supporting Israel unconditionally was one of the key pillars of his campaign.

And that’s how he lost. American voters proved last year that global politics isn’t their main focus when they couldn’t make ends meet. And they preferred to talk about free childcare rather than international relations.

Last year, taking a firm stance on Israel – first by Joe Biden, next by Kamala Harris – was „too much” for a centrist Democratic candidate. But in 2025, Zohran Mamdani won anyway.

Mamdani’s campaign is a great lesson for the Democratic Party. A clear „Winning 101”? Not yet. He paved the way for candidates in the mold of himself and Obama – those who have a clear vision above all and represent the promise of change. Because after Mamdani’s victory, one can confidently say that the real political dividing line is not Republicans versus Democrats, but establishment versus anti-establishment. And his global fame, similar to Obamamania once was, is in fact a new dimension of challenging the status quo – and of resisting a vision of the world proposed by Donald Trump.

The world – in some part – was looking for a leader of change and resistance against Donald Trump – and in the Democratic Party there were not many. And then came Mamdani. His spectacular victory was welcomed and analyzed by both the allies and the adversaries of the United States. Even though – as the mayor of New York City – Mamdani has his hands tied in terms of global policy – his election brought people hope. Not only in the Big Apple, but also around the world. Congratulatory messages, viral videos stating the names of the cities Zohran Mamdani has honorarily „become the mayor” of, spread online like wildfire.

The mayoral election in New York City wasn’t only about supporting Trump’s vision for America – but also about the plans for the next steps for the Democratic Party – if they have any vision for the U.S. for the „after-Trump” era.