The victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral primary has been hailed by leaders of the Greek Left, who view the result as a win for progressive ideas and a sign of a new political trend.
Stefanos Kasselakis, who served as the leader of Syriza and is now the leader of the political party Movement for Democracy, praised the role of young voters in electing the 34-year-old Mamdani.
Speaking on the show Koinonia Ora Mega, Kasselakis emphasized Mamdani’s clean political image and forward-thinking program, noting his success against a “system-embedded opponent with allegations of misconduct.”
Kasselakis framed the victory as a new trend emerging “Against the right-wing populism and the so-called progressive establishment.” He highlighted that young people are championing candidates with “innovative economic ideas.”
He specifically pointed to Mamdani’s policy proposals aimed at easing the high cost of living in New York, such as limits on rent increases and free public transport. Kasselakis argued that while these measures may “sound expensive,” the free public transport initiative would encourage people to switch from cars to mass transit, thereby “improving transit speed and quality of life.”
Recognizing the scale of the challenge in a city with a budget over $100 billion and a population larger than Greece, Kasselakis asserted that in a modern democracy, people should not have to “struggle just to make ends meet.”
Tsipras: Mamdani’s victory against oligarchy and kleptocracy
Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras echoed the celebratory sentiment, framing Mamdani’s win as a broader triumph over powerful, entrenched interests.
Writing on social media, Tsipras described the election as a victory over “kleptocracy, political dynasties, and the expensive media systems that promote their interests.”
He stressed that the New York result demonstrates that alternatives exist to the current system, stating: “The inhumane capitalism, the subjugation of freedom to the profits of the oligarchy, the darkness of massive social injustice, and the disdain for democracy are not the only path.”
Tsipras concluded that “Hope, change, and justice are in the hands of citizens who choose to resist and claim a better future.”
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