Mamdanis victory fires up Europe's left against right-wing forces at home

- The blistering rise of Mr Zohran Mamdani to become New York City’s mayor has offered encouragement to Europe's left-wing parties that a radical agenda could help turn the tide against right-wing forces at home.

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Parties from London to Berlin cheered Mr Mamdani, a 34-year-old self-described democratic socialist whose viral videos and promise of rent controls and taxing the rich in a city seen as a beacon of global capitalism struck a chord with voters.

Germany’s the Left party and Britain’s Greens hope to garner momentum from Mr Mamdani’s win, signalling they would not dilute their policies or be sucked into the right-wing battleground of migration. It could also give food for thought to established left-wing parties like Britain’s ruling Labour Party, which has tanked in the polls since its landslide election victory in 2024, and Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD).

Mr Zack Polanski, who this year became the first Jewish and openly gay leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has drawn comparisons to Mr Mamdani for his use of social media and calls for a wealth tax to reduce inequality.

An ecstatic Mr Polanski told Reuters Mr Mamdani’s victory shows “hope has triumphed over hate”, adding: “This is important — I think this resonates throughout the world. But this is about improving people’s lives, recognising the inequality that lies both at the heart of New York, but frankly, around much of the world.”

“And this is about saying: let’s lower people’s bills and tax multimillionaires and billionaires,’ said Mr Polanski, whose party has risen in the polls after winning just four seats in 2024.