伦敦市长选举的选票清点工作正在进行，现年45岁的前政府大臣、巴基斯坦移民之子萨迪克汗看来即将当选，成为伦敦第一位穆斯林市长。英国的穆斯林将这看作一个转折点。
无论萨迪克汗能否当选，英国的穆斯林都认为，他能成为竞选领跑者是自己在这个全球最伟大的帝国之一日益增长的政治影响力的表现。
萨迪克汗代表工党，他是一个公交车司机和一个裁缝的儿子。这次竞选共有12名候选人，萨迪克汗与另一位领先者，保守党的扎克·戈德史密斯竞争激烈，不相上下。戈德史密斯是犹太人，亿万富翁的儿子。
伦敦市长的职位16年前才刚刚设立，但影响力很大。即将离任的市长、深受民众欢迎的保守党人鲍里斯·约翰逊，被视为竞选首相的可能人选。
星期四投票前进行的民调显示，大多数伦敦选民认为住房和交通是主要问题。但分析人士指出，选民对移民和人口结构变化的担忧可能影响选情，还可能预示在6月23号就英国是否应该留在欧盟举行的全民公决的结果。
支持英国退出欧盟的人将移民和英国已对边界失去控制列为最核心的问题。
Vote counting is under way in London where Britain's capital could be getting its first Muslim mayor as Sadiq Khan, a 45-year-old former government minister and son of Pakistani immigrants, appears headed for victory in what British Muslims see as a turning point.
Whether Khan wins or loses, British Muslims see his reaching the status of front-runner in the race as a sign of their growing political clout in the former seat of one of the world’s great empires.
Khan, representing the Labor party, is the son of a bus driver and a seamstress. In a field of 12 candidates, he was in a tight and often bitter race against the other front-runner, Conservative Zac Goldsmith, who is Jewish and the son of a billionaire tycoon.
The Mayor of London position was created only 16 years ago, but is highly influential. The outgoing mayor, popular Conservative Boris Johnson, is seen as a likely contender for prime minister.
Most London voters polled ahead of Thursday’s elections cited housing and transport as the main issues. But analysts say underlying concerns about immigration and demographic change could play out in the poll, which may indicate the outcome of a June 23rd referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union.
Proponents of a British exit, or Brexit, cite immigration and the belief that Britain has lost control of its borders as top concerns.
