Former cop Eric Adams has been elected as New York’s mayor. The 61-year-old Democrat defeated his Republican opponent Curtis Sliwa to become the second black mayor of the largest city in the United States. Adams won the Democratic primary in July. The mayoralty could hardly have escaped his notice, because the registered Democratic voters in New York are by far in the majority.
The Democrat faces some major challenges. New York is still struggling with the corona pandemic that has claimed the lives of some 30,000 people. The economic consequences are also enormous: there are far fewer tourists, many restaurants and businesses are closed and unemployment in the city is almost 10 percent.
There are also concerns about safety: New York has a high number of shooting incidents and gang violence. Adams previously said he was abused by cops as a teenager and that he has no tolerance for cops abusing their position.
Sky-high house prices
The new mayor has promised to tackle skyrocketing house prices in the city. He also wants to invest in education and in about 480 kilometers of bicycle paths. He succeeds party colleague Bill de Blasio. He could no longer run for mayor after two terms.
Adams, in his victory speech, called on New Yorkers to show solidarity. “We are so divided now,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re from Manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn.” As of today, everyone is “Team New York,” he said.
Adams received support from the unions and is considered a progressive and moderate Democrat. He was previously a member of the Republican party for several years.
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