Zohran Mamdani to take New York City mayoral oath on Quran on 1 January

Zohran Mamdani, who is set to assume office on 1 January, will become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and is expected to take his oath of office on the holy Quran, according to media reports.

The 34-year-old will succeed Eric Adams, whose term as mayor concludes on 31 December 2025. Mamdani, a Uganda-born Democratic Socialist and former New York State assemblyman, won the mayoral election on 4 November.

His inauguration is scheduled to take place in two parts. A midnight ceremony will see New York Attorney General Letitia James administer the official oath, followed by a public ceremony later in the day, which is expected to draw thousands of residents. Reports say Mamdani has chosen to take his oath on the Quran.

Mamdani ran his campaign on an affordability-focused platform, pledging fare-free buses, universal childcare, and a rent freeze on regulated apartments, themes that resonated strongly with voters across the city.

US Senator Bernie Sanders, who endorsed Mamdani earlier this year, is set to administer the oath during the public ceremony. Sanders has described Mamdani’s campaign as “inspirational” and praised him as a “visionary” leader.

In the election, Mamdani defeated former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, securing 50.8 per cent of the vote compared with Cuomo’s 41.3 per cent.

More than 1.1 million New Yorkers voted for Mamdani, making him the first mayoral candidate to cross the one-million-vote mark in the city since 1969.