Does Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York signal that Nigel Farage’s bubble is about to burst? - David Behrens

Does Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Signal the End of Nigel Farage’s Influence?

This week in New York, voters elected a Muslim mayor, clearly rejecting the xenophobic stance of their president. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the far-right Party for Freedom suffered a humiliating defeat. In the UK, Nigel Farage’s group of councillors appeared to scatter rapidly, suggesting a decline.

The question arises: has Reform UK and its brand of right-wing populism already reached its peak?

Farage’s Political Decline

Monday highlighted that despite Farage’s dramatic claims—like Elon Musk-style promises to cut bureaucracy—he aligns closely with mainstream parties he criticizes. Just days before Labour’s Rachel Reeves hinted at upcoming tax increases, Farage retracted his earlier pledge to slash £90 billion in taxes if elected. He dismissed his promise as merely “an aspiration” and shifted blame, admitting the financial situation is graver than anticipated.

Pensions and Promises

Farage declined to commit to maintaining the pensions triple-lock, a policy protecting late-middle-aged individuals from inflation’s impact.

“It was only ever ‘an aspiration’, he bleated, before resorting to the time-honoured tradition of blaming everyone else for leaving an even bigger mess than he thought.”

This week’s developments suggest a diminishing appeal of Farage’s populism in the face of changing political tides.

Author’s Summary

Zohran Mamdani’s victory and recent defeats faced by far-right groups hint that Nigel Farage’s populist influence may be waning amid shifting political landscapes.

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Yorkshire Post Yorkshire Post — 2025-11-09

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