Europe’s Left Analyzes Mamdani’s Meteoric Rise in New York
Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left group in the European Parliament, recently visited New York. Her trip focused on supporting the Mamdani campaign as it approached the final days before the election. Aubry, representing France Unbowed, sees the campaign as a model for achieving radical change before the municipal elections in France in 2026.
Mamdani’s Campaign: A Model for European Left
Germany’s anti-capitalist party, The Left, also sent officials to New York to engage with the Mamdani team. Among them were Party Co-Chair Ines Schwerdtner and Maximilian Schirmer, a leading member from the Berlin branch. Their objective was to discuss strategies with Morris Katz, who oversees the campaign’s strategic operations.
Learning from Success
- Focus on cost-of-living issues.
- Court small donors effectively.
- Invest heavily in door-to-door volunteer operations.
Liza Pflaum, a key member of The Left, expressed optimism about emulating Mamdani’s strategies. She noted the party’s success in Germany’s February federal election through similar tactics. Pflaum plans to implement these approaches for Berlin’s state legislative election scheduled for next September.
Pflaum emphasized Mamdani’s campaign offers tangible improvements to people’s lives. “You can feel it right away here in New York: People have begun to feel hope again,” she remarked, indicating the positive impact of Mamdani’s vision and the enthusiasm it brings to supporters.
Looking Ahead
As European leftist parties like France Unbowed and The Left prepare for upcoming elections, Mamdani’s campaign serves as a significant benchmark. The hope is that the strategies used in New York will inspire successful initiatives across Europe.
