this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
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Maybe I am misunderstanding what you mean by “political standards” but if you look at SPD the German slightly left of center party.
They are pushing for a 15 euro min wage and rent control
Now compare that mamdani who is pushing for a 25 euro min wage and a rent freeze.
He took two policies that are being looked at by a left of center group and took them further to the left
Then if we compare the German left party they want to reduce taxation on basic food, hygiene, and public transit through a new wealth tax of 1% for people in possession of 1m euro or greater
Back to mamdani he wants to reduce the cost of food and hygiene products by setting up a state owned grocery store and to make busses free and to fund this he wants to use an income tax of 2% after $1m
So I would argue that he is solidly left wing
Really, it comes down to perspective. As someone in the U.S., the scope of what he's saying isn't as radical as it might seem - if you look at the surrounding context.
New York City as expensive. Laborers to work there can't afford to live there. 25 Euros may sound like a lot - but it's barely a livable wage inside the city.
And American rental housing is mostly owned by a small number of massive corporations. They use computer algorithms to determine how much they can charge to earn maximum profit. Rents have gone up exorbitantly, far more than inflation or even demand. So the rents need to be held in place and stabilized. It's a completely unregulated market.
Similarly, food stores are consolidated under a small number of mega corporations. In a functioning system, stores byproducts based on market rates, then sell them based on what people are able to pay. However, in the U.S., grocery stores dictate how much they're willing to pay for goods. Small businesses need to bribe the distributors in order to get proper placement within grocery stores. And grocery stores I've been raising prices when the cost of staples go up - but then never lowering them again. Poor people can qualify to get money for food, but they aren't able to buy enough now. Operating a food store for public good is a middle step to ensure farmers get paid and people can buy quality food.
Public transit was free for a few years during the worst of covid, and people all over the country have been campaigning to try to keep it that way.
So, taking all of the surrounding details into context? He's not nearly as far left of center as he seems. But without the context, I understand why it may look like he's more of an extreme leftist.
Maybe I am misinterpreting you but what I am hearing you say is: he is doing things that are all very well needed but they aren’t considered leftist because the situation right now is bad z
It’s fine that he is a leftist it’s not an insult and I agree his policies will help the city but these same policies are considered left wing policies and decently extreme left wing policies when it comes to state owned grocery stores.
That doesn’t mean it’s bad but if he tried to run under those same policies in Germany he would absolutely be in the left wing party vs the left of center party