Zohran Mamdani vs Sadiq Khan: One Global Spotlight

Two of the world’s most iconic and influential cities – New York City (USA) and London (UK) both feature mayors whose roles command global attention.

But the scope of their powers differs significantly. Below is a detailed comparison of each mayoralty: the formal authorities, real-world constraints, and key take-aways for how city leadership truly works.

The Mayor of New York City

Zohran Mamdani (mayor‐elect, takes office Jan 1 2026)

Key facts & historical note

• Zohran Mamdani, at age 34, became the mayor-elect of New York City in November 2025.
• He is the first Muslim and first South Asian heritage person to win the office in NYC.
• Mamdani ran on a progressive platform emphasising housing affordability, universal childcare, free buses, and raising the minimum wage.

Powers & responsibilities

The mayor of New York City is among the most powerful municipal executives in the world. Some of the key dimensions:

• The mayor is the chief executive of the city government, with responsibility for city services, agencies, public property, and enforcing city/state law within NYC.
• Budgetary authority: The mayor prepares and manages the annual budget for the city, including the largest municipal budget in the US (exceeding US$100 billion) and oversees a vast workforce.
• Appointment power: The mayor appoints commissioners, heads of departments, deputy mayors, and shapes the agencies that deliver services.
• Legislative influence: While the mayor cannot unilaterally create laws, they sign or veto legislation passed by the City Council.
• Control over many city functions: The mayor oversees transit, housing, education (in NYC’s case the mayor appoints the chancellor of the NYC Department of Education), public safety, sanitation, etc.

Real-world constraints

Even with strong formal powers, there are important limits to the mayor’s influence:

• Tax increases: The mayor may propose tax changes, but major increases often require approval from the state legislature (e.g., New York State Legislature) and governor. The city cannot unilaterally raise many taxes.
• State and federal dependencies: The city receives substantial funding and must comply with state/federal laws. Some policies (e.g., transit fare regulation, major infrastructure) involve state agencies.
• Political, institutional and resource constraints: The mayor must negotiate with the City Council, boroughs, agencies, and other stakeholders.

Implications for NYC’s mayoral power

• In effect, NYC’s mayor is a powerful executive: all five boroughs, huge budget, direct control of agencies and services.
• The mayor’s role combines operational management (running the city) + political leadership (agenda-setting).
• Because of the scale of NYC, the mayor’s decisions reverberate nationally and internationally.
• But success still depends on navigating state law, funding sources, the City Council, and unions/interest groups.

The Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan (current Mayor)

Key facts & historical note

• The Mayor of London is the directly elected head of the Greater London Authority (GLA).
• Election cycle: Every four years, voters across London elect the mayor.
• Powers are derived from legislation including the Greater London Authority Act 1999, as amended.

Powers & responsibilities

The London mayor holds a strategic role rather than full executive control of all services; key powers include:

• Strategic planning: The mayor develops the “London Plan” which sets city‐wide planning and development policy (housing, environment, waste, spatial strategy).
• Transport: The mayor directs the functional body Transport for London (TfL) which manages the Tube, buses, roads, and related infrastructure.
• Policing & crime strategy: The mayor has oversight of policing priorities through the Mayor’s Office for Policing & Crime (MOPAC) and sets strategic aims for the Metropolitan Police Service.
• Environment & housing strategy: While actual delivery often lies with boroughs, the mayor sets strategic initiatives and policies for housing supply, affordability, and environmental standards.
• Budget & resource setting: The mayor proposes the GLA budget and determines how the GLA’s funds are allocated to the strategic functions.

Significant constraints & shared power

• Many local services (education, social care, local planning enforcement, borough roads, local social services) remain the responsibility of London’s 33 borough councils, not the mayor.
• Major tax-raising powers are limited: While the mayor has some powers (e.g., certain precepts in council tax, maybe parts of business rates), many taxation powers remain with UK Government or boroughs.
• Delivery vs strategy: The mayor often sets strategy and targets, but relies on boroughs, external agencies, or private partners for delivery and enforcement.
• Scrutiny and checks: The London Assembly oversees and scrutinises the mayor’s actions and budget.

Implications for London’s mayoral power

• The Mayor of London is a strategic city-wide leader: sets vision, big picture policy, transport and policing oversight, housing strategy.
• The role is less operationally granular than NYC’s: boroughs retain many direct delivery functions.
• The mayor must collaborate significantly with national government, boroughs, and agencies.
• Because of this structure, the London mayor’s influence often lies in agenda-setting, advocacy, coordination, and leveraging transport/housing as levers rather than full command over all services.

Direct Comparison: NYC vs London

Feature	NYC Mayor	London Mayor
Operational scope	Broad executive control of many city services (education, housing, transit, public safety, sanitation) via mayoral office.	Strategic control (transport, policing, planning) but delivery often via boroughs; schools/social services largely not under direct mayor control.
Budget size	Very large; mayor proposes and manages a multi-billion dollar budget covering all five boroughs.	The mayor controls GLA’s budget (~£20 billion+) for strategic functions but many services remain elsewhere.
Taxation & raising revenue	Proposes budget, but many tax decisions require state approval; strong but constrained.	More limited tax-raising; many powers reserved for national government or boroughs.
Appointment power	Mayor appoints heads of city agencies, department commissioners, strong administrative leverage.	Mayor appoints certain strategic roles (transport, policing leadership) but many local officers are appointed at borough or national level.
Local government fragmentation	Single city government for all boroughs (five boroughs unified under one mayor/city hall)	Many functions devolved: 33 boroughs have councils with substantial power; mayor oversees but does not absorb all.
Accountability & scrutiny	Mayor held accountable via citywide election; city council oversight; state & federal oversight too.	Mayor held accountable via London-wide election; London Assembly provides scrutiny; national government oversight as well.
Global role & visibility	Mayor of NYC is a major figure internationally for business, climate, culture, urban policy.	Mayor of London likewise has global profile, especially in transport, housing, climate and as a major global city.
Typical strength	Strong “mayor‐executive” model	Strong “strategic mayor” model

In short: NYC’s mayor ≈ powerful executive running much of the city’s machinery, whereas London’s mayor ≈ strategic leader shaping policy, transport & policing, but sharing/delivering many services through other levels.

Why It Matters: For Urban Governance and Beyond

• City leadership shapes global influence: Both NYC and London mayors act as international ambassadors for their cities – in business, climate, culture, migration, and urban innovation.
• Policy scope is tied to institutional design: The extent of mayoral power depends on how the city’s government is structured, what functions are devolved, and what laws apply.
• Budget + bureaucracy = real power: Controlling large budgets and managing large workforces gives the mayor influence over what gets done (and how).
• Collaboration remains essential: Even a strong mayor depends on other levels of government (state, national), stakeholders (boroughs, agencies, communities), and institutional constraints.
• Symbolism matters: A mayor’s platform and rhetoric can shape national politics (especially in the US) and global urban agendas (transport, climate, housing). For example, Mamdani’s win in NYC has been remarked upon as a progressive shift.

Looking Ahead: Challenges & Opportunities for Each

For NYC / Mamdani:

• Translating ambitious campaign promises (free buses, rent freezes, universal childcare) into reality – given legal/financial constraints.
• Managing a massive bureaucracy, large budget, and coordinating across agencies and boroughs.
• Negotiating with New York State and federal government for funding or legal authority.
• Maintaining political support and delivering tangible results to justify the historic mandate.

For London / Khan (and future mayors):

• Delivering consistent results in areas within mayoral remit (transport, housing strategy) while influencing further service areas.
• Balancing strategic vision with operational delivery via boroughs and agencies.
• Making the case for more devolved powers and securing resources from national government.
• Ensuring the mayor’s strategic agenda remains aligned with boroughs and local communities.

Conclusion

Both New York City and London showcase how city-mayor leadership can influence economic growth, social policy, and global standing. But the type of influence differs:

• In New York: A mayor with strong executive control, running day-to-day services across the city, shaping broad outcomes.
• In London: A mayor with strategic oversight, setting the agenda for transport, housing, policing, and major policy, but delivering in partnership with boroughs/government.

Understanding these structural differences is key for evaluating what a mayor can do and what they can’t. For cities considering empowering mayors, or for analysts comparing city governments globally, this matters.