LONDON — When Zohran Mamdani swept to a historic win in New York City's mayoral race, it made headlines well beyond the city and the United States.
Newspapers across Europe ran analyses and commentaries about it, and left-wing politicians in Europe took heart from the success of the 34-year-old American democratic socialist.
"Echoes of hope" beyond the U.S.
Claire Lejeune, a member of parliament from France's left-wing France Unbowed party, tells NPR Mamdani's victory was a "beacon of hope."
"Its message echoes not only in the U.S., but also for us in France," Lejeune says. Her party sent members to New York to study Mamdani's winning ways on the campaign trail.
In the United Kingdom, Mamdani's victory is even influencing a mayoral race in the seaside region of Sussex and Brighton. The election has now been postponed until May 2028. But a recent a campaign leaflet for the Green Party features two faces — that of the local party candidate, Rachel Millward, and another of New York City's mayor-elect — with the words "Hope can win."
New York just elected @ZohranKMamdani, who offers real hope, over billionaire funded opponents.
— Rachel Millward (@rachelmillward) November 5, 2025
In May Sussex & Brighton will face a similar choice between real hope and real change with a @TheGreenParty mayor or a big money backed Reform mayor with no real plan for the future. pic.twitter.com/tmi2NiM8iJ
The Green Party's national leader, Zack Polanski, has been called charismatic and social media savvy by the British media, with some commentators now asking whether he could be the "British Mamdani." Smiley and upbeat, 43-year-old Polanski has made "Let's make hope normal again" his central message.
Polanski has helped the Green Party double its membership and perform much better in public opinion polls, rivaling big establishment parties such as the governing center-left Labour Party and the center-right Conservatives.
"A right-wing newspaper recently called me a 'joyful warrior,' and I thought that was such an amazing description of Zohran, actually," Polanski tells NPR in an interview in London.
But he says the two have more in common than their social media skills.
"I think more important than any of that is the message. Lowering bills, taxing billionaires. For Zohran, it's about affordable rents, universal childcare," Polanski says. "The message that he's sending ultimately about the inequality that exists in New York, I want to take that whole message and spread it across an entire country."
It's a message, he says, which is resonating with voters in towns and cities across England, as it did with New Yorkers.
Heidi Reichinnek, co-leader of Germany's democratic-socialist Left Party, tells NPR her party also plans to focus on affordability and the cost of living in upcoming local elections.
"The [Mamdani] campaign was focusing on rent freeze, free and fast buses, free childcare, everything to make life better for the majority," Reichinnek says. "When you listen to people and make their problems your agenda, that resonates with them."
Reichinnek says she was also heartened by Mamdani's inclusive message.
"He never threw anyone under the bus to gain the approval of right-wing voters. He stood behind immigrants, queer people, unemployed people and never wavered. The best solution against right-wing propaganda is a strong leftist stand."
Mamdani's campaign and message have also drawn criticism, with some claiming it was a gift to President Trump. "The election of the left-wing extremist Mamdani as mayor of New York benefits Trump," far-right Alternative for Germany lawmaker Maximilian Krah wrote on X. "He can now hold the entire Democratic Party jointly responsible for the foreseeable disaster in New York."
And Mamdani has been attacked for his support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel, with French far-right politician Marion Maréchal suggesting New York could turn into a "pro-Hamas" zone. "No country, no city is now safe from a takeover by the woke and Islamist left," she wrote on social media.
Mamdani, who is New York City's first Muslim mayor-elect, has called attacks about his faith and comparisons to extremists "racist and baseless."
Europe's leftists hope to learn from Mamdani's winning ways
But progressive politicians are taking notes. U.K. Green Party leader Polanski tells NPR his video team is meeting some of Mamdani's videographers to pick up some tips.
"It's exciting to see that cross-exchange happen," Polanski says, adding he hopes there will be more to come.
In France, Lejeune hopes a Mamdani-inspired approach will help her party make gains in both local and presidential elections in the next couple of years.
"If we want to stop the far right from getting into power in the next local elections then we've got to show the French people that we don't have to adopt the same kind of policies again and again that deteriorate the quality of life for everyone."
In Britain, national parliamentary elections are four years away. But the political landscape is changing, with a system once dominated by Labour and the Conservatives making way for others, including the far-right Reform U.K. and the Greens.
Polanski sees in this an opportunity for his own leftist politics.
"I can't tell you whether we're going to fall to the right and to fascism or whether we're going to go to the left, to a more progressive politics that cares about people and planet. I'm obviously hoping it's the latter, and I intend to do everything I can to make sure it's the latter."
Reichinnek, from Germany's Left Party, says her movement hopes to emulate the Mamdani campaign in upcoming elections in Germany, by "going from door to door, talking to people, explaining that we can change something for the better."
For now, Mamdani has given politicians on the left in Europe new momentum.
For Reichinnek, he's shown that success is possible.
"We can face the billionaires, the right-wing extremists and win," she says.
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