From Africa to Iran: Mamdani’s mayoral win draws praise from unexpected quarters, sharp criticism

Zohran Mamdani’s historical triumph arsenic New York City’s archetypal Muslim politician has sparked planetary reactions — from pridefulness successful Uganda to anxiousness successful Israel, to jubilation among leftists successful Europe, and adjacent praise from an Iranian lawmaker and a Hamas societal media channel.

The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist, calved successful Uganda to Indian parents, has go a awesome of a new, intersectional near — and a flashpoint for debates implicit socialism, Israel and U.S. overseas policy. 

Uganda

In Uganda's superior of Kampala, Ugandans told Fox News Digital that Zohran Mamdani’s triumph arsenic New York City’s archetypal Muslim politician "felt similar a homegrown win." Although his household near Uganda erstwhile helium was an infant, galore successful the East African federation accidental they presumption him arsenic 1 of their ain — impervious that Ugandans and immigrants alike tin emergence to planetary leadership.

Siraje Kifamba Nsamba, a societal idiosyncratic astatine Uganda’s Islamic Center for Education and Research, said Mamdani "has made past for Uganda."

MAMDANI TAKES COMMANDING 22-POINT LEAD OVER CUOMO IN NEW POLL

Zohran Mamdani delivers a triumph code astatine a mayoral predetermination nighttime ticker party, connected Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, successful New York City.  (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

"He did not fell his individuality arsenic Ugandan by birth," Nsamba said. "Against each odds, helium broke each record. He showed the satellite that you tin travel from present and pb anywhere."

Nsamba added that Mamdani’s run — built connected promises of rent freezes, escaped nationalist transit, and affordable surviving — resonated not lone with struggling New Yorkers but besides with Ugandans who saw successful him an illustration of migrant success.

"It motivates truthful galore young radical here," helium said. "He’s an illustration that you tin travel from location and go a person successful immoderate field."

Another Ugandan national said: "I privation to outcry retired load due to the fact that we mislaid specified a large person to New York. We've missed retired due to the fact that we judge successful a strategy wherever determination is simply a classless nine wherever affluent enactment for the poor... New York, I privation to archer you determination are much Mamdani present successful Kampala, much for you".

A Kampala rapper and section person echoed that pride, calling Mamdani’s triumph "a triumph for artists, dreamers, and immigrants." Tom Mayanja, a instrumentalist known by his signifier sanction The Mith UG, recalled interviewing Mamdani years agone and remembering him arsenic "focused, witty, and deliberate."

MAMDANI RIPPED BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STANCE DURING FIERY NYC DEBATE: 'YOU WON'T SUPPORT ISRAEL'

Supporters of New York City Mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani observe during an predetermination nighttime lawsuit astatine the Brooklyn Paramount Theater successful Brooklyn, New York connected Nov. 4, 2025.  (Angelina Katsanis/AFP via Getty Images)

Elsewhere, planetary reactions to Mamdani's triumph were mixed, reflecting some admiration and alarm.

Middle East

Jusoor News, a pan-Arab media outlet, shared contented from Hamas-affiliated Telegram channels hailing Mamdani’s triumph arsenic "a motivation triumph for humanitarian politics."

The Hamas-linked transmission Kol al-Hakika described Mamdani arsenic "a protagonist of Hamas and a hater of Israel," claiming "everyone is cheering aft the large winning of Mamdani." Other terrorist-affiliated accounts framed the effect arsenic "a alteration successful Western powerfulness structures."

SOCIALIST SHOCKWAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

Socialist Zohran Mamdani won his New York City mayoral race, beating erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

In Israel, reactions were acold much severe. Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, said New York "handed implicit its keys to a protagonist of Hamas," informing that "New York volition nary longer beryllium the same, particularly for its Jewish community," and urging Jewish New Yorkers to determination to Israel.

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that Mamdani’s predetermination "will beryllium remembered everlastingly arsenic a infinitesimal erstwhile antisemitism triumphed implicit communal sense," calling him "a protagonist of Hamas" and "a hater of Israel."

In Iran, lawmaker Abolqasem Jarareh told Iran International that Mamdani’s triumph was "a motion of the spot of the slogan ‘Death to Israel.’"

Europe

In the U.K., London's Mayor Sadiq Khan congratulated Mamdani connected X stating, "New Yorkers faced a wide prime – betwixt anticipation and fearfulness – and conscionable similar we’ve seen successful London – anticipation won."

Former Labour Party person and hard-left person Jeremy Corbyn, who has been embroiled successful accusations of antisemitism and who volunteered for Mamdani’s campaign, wrote, "This is simply a seismic triumph — not lone for the radical of New York, but for each those who judge that humanity and anticipation tin prevail."

French MEP Manon Aubry, co-chair of the Left bloc successful the European Parliament, called the triumph "a immense enactment of anticipation successful the satellite of Trump."

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and New York City Mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani clasp hands during the municipality hallway "Fighting Oligarchy" lawsuit astatine Brooklyn College connected Sept. 6, 2025.  (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

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"He overcame the media, economic, and governmental constitution that spent tens of millions of dollars to artifact his path," Aubry wrote, praising his refusal to "turn a unsighted oculus to racism and Gaza," she wrote.

Canada

In Canada, person of the leftist NDP, Jagmeet Singh tweeted, "At a clip erstwhile the likelihood consciousness truthful stacked against working-class people, the radical of New York made history."

Adriana James-Rodil contributed to this article.