New York City ushered in the New Year with a new mayor, as Zohran Mamdani took the oath of office at midnight on January 1st. “This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mr Mamdani said. To honour his Muslim faith, Mr Mamdani was sworn in using a Quran, Islam’s holiest book, becoming the first mayor in New York City to do so. [ Who is Zohran Mamdani?Opens in new window ]In April, Mr Mamdani was trailing Mr Cuomo 36 per cent to 64 per cent. Democrat campaign veteran Hank Sheinkopf said that Mr Mamdani “represents the city of the future – a more Asian city, a more Muslim city, and what could be a more left-wing city”.

Source: The Irish Times January 01, 2026 12:24 UTC