What Zohran Mamdani teaches us

From the United States—well, not quite the United States, but New York, which can hardly be said to represent the average American mindset—comes an interesting message for us here in Brazil, and for the progressive and democratic movement worldwide. The election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of the largest American city could represent an important strategic benchmark.

And I'm not referring to the fact that he is a Muslim immigrant, born in Africa, the son of Indians – which, in itself, already means a great deal in times when sectors of American society applaud the barbarity sponsored by Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza and the anti-immigration policies of Donald Trump. The core of Mamdani's victory lies not in who he is, but in what he represents in the current political debate.

A major debate within the center-left and left today is whether the best way to confront right-wing extremism is through a nod to the center or through a radicalization of the discourse towards the social base most ideologically identified. This debate is very present, even within the American Democratic Party. And here, I think the election in New York can give us some indications.

There, the Democratic Party split. Former Governor Cuomo, after losing the primaries to Mamdani, maintained his independent candidacy and delivered a speech to the center. Mamdani, in turn, not only affirmed himself as a socialist, but also clearly positioned himself with a narrative that spoke to the hearts of workers, parents, and young people – those who are forced to pay expensive rents, to afford public transportation to get to work or school, those who have young children. In a sense, he radicalized to the left. The result speaks volumes: Mamdani opened up a nearly 10-point lead over Cuomo, even with Trump's threats and the president's support for the former governor.

To imagine that it's possible to mechanically transfer this stance to Brazil – or to other parts of the world – would be naive. Each concrete reality is unique and must be analyzed in its specificities. However, it's perfectly possible to infer from these New York elections that a social base cannot be mobilized without a discourse that resonates with it, that clearly demonstrates that you are on their side. And this highlights how risky a "centrist" discourse is, seeking to win over undecided voters far too early.