PARIS – The victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York City Council race is reverberating across the Atlantic, but rather than unifying the French left, it’s exacerbating existing divisions as factions attempt to claim the win as validation for their own strategies. The debate centers on whether mamdani’s success offers a blueprint for a unified left-wing challenge in France, particularly ahead of upcoming elections.
François ruffin, writing for HuffPost, highlighted the potential for a primary election to yield a victorious candidate despite a lack of consensus.Though,the victory has sparked internal clashes,exemplified by an exchange between Sophia Chikirou and Emmanuel Grégoire regarding the Paris mayoral race. Chikirou, responding to Grégoire, asserted, “if you support Zohran Mamdani in New York, you must support La France insoumise in Paris,” framing Mamdani’s win as a mandate for a similar progressive agenda.
chikirou further connected mamdani’s success to specific policy positions: “What makes Zohran’s victory is his program and his positions: attacking the rich, speculation, making public transport free, supporting Palestine, raising the voice of workers against gentrification.” She directly challenged Grégoire, stating, “This is the opposite of what you’ve been doing for years.You want this program in Paris: vote for La France insoumise!“
The article notes a perceived contrast in behavior between Mamdani and typical French left-wing politicians, citing Mamdani’s apology following controversial statements regarding the NYPD, as reported by Politico on October 15, 2025.
Reactions weren’t limited to the Paris mayoral race.LFI MP Gabrielle cathala criticized Socialist Party leaders for congratulating Mamdani, tweeting that he embodies ”a clear anti-racist line, who has been denouncing the genocide in Gaza for months, and who has defended all the arrested pro-Palestinian activists. Which is everything the PS has never done.”
Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament, echoed this sentiment, stating that some on the left were celebrating Mamdani’s victory without genuinely embracing the “class struggle” or “anti-racist struggle.” Nadège Abomangoli criticized the conduct of those who contested the primary despite their defeat, deeming the primary process itself “rotten.”
The analysis concludes that while Mamdani’s win offers a morale boost, its applicability to the French political landscape remains uncertain due to essential differences in party culture and campaigning styles. The election,the article suggests,is being interpreted through the lens of individual political agendas,with the hope that victories are achievable both in France and abroad.
