New York (AFP)

Ira, will not you? At three months of the first primaries for the 2020 presidential election, billionaire Michael Bloomberg no longer excludes him from running for the Democratic nomination, anxious to see Joe Biden caught up by the Wall Street candidates, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

In March, the one who was mayor of New York for 12 years had yet officially announced that he would not show up, in view of the twenty democrats already in the running, and not to undermine the chances of the former vice-president. President Joe Biden, a centrist candidate like him.

But according to sources close to the businessman, cited by the New York Times and CNN, he now gathers the necessary signatures to file his application in the state of Alabama (south), which requires candidates that they register at the latest this Friday.

"He thinks Biden is weak and Sanders and Warren can not win," said a source close to Bloomberg, quoted by the New York Post.

Michael Bloomberg, 77, who made a fortune on Wall Street and has claimed independence and republican in the past, has never hidden his opposition to the measures advocated by Mrs. Warren and Mr. Sanders.

The two senators campaign very left, denouncing in particular a system "corrupt" by Wall Street, billionaires and large companies.

- "Mike could win" -

In recent weeks, as Joe Biden lost ground against Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders in the polls, billionaire friends had already hinted that he was thinking about joining the race again.

Michael Bloomberg, ranked 9th richest man in the world by Forbes magazine with a fortune valued at $ 55.5 billion, is nevertheless known to procrastinate on these kinds of decisions.

He had already considered presenting himself as an independent in the 2016 presidential election, before giving up for fear of dividing the Democrats against Donald Trump.

He has not officially confirmed the information concerning his registration in Alabama. Several sources quoted by US media pointed out that he had not yet decided.

"We have to finish the job and make sure that Trump will be defeated, but Mike is increasingly worried that the current group of candidates may not be in a good position to get there," said Bloomberg's adviser Howard Wolfson. in a statement.

"Given his successes, his leadership and his ability to rally for change, Mike could start the fight against Trump and win," he added.

Even if the decision is not yet taken, the hesitations of Michael Bloomberg could weigh on the race for the nomination Democratic, still very open with 17 candidates.

Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders lead the pack, but a fourth candidate, the young mayor of Indiana Pete Buttigieg, also a centrist, is making progress in the polls.

- "Welcome to the race" -

"Welcome to the race, Michael Bloomberg," responded Thursday night Elizabeth Warren on Twitter.

"If you are looking for political ideas that could make a big difference for people who are working, and are very popular, start with that," she joked, referring to her plans to tax the rich to finance her free education projects or health insurance for all.

Bernie Sanders did not directly discuss the new candidate, but he seemed to refer to it in a tweet on Thursday night: "the class of billionaires is afraid, and she is right to be afraid."

Very active in the fight against climate change or for health, Michael Bloomberg, who made his fortune through the financial news agency that bears his name, is already spending millions to support Democratic candidates for local elections. As he did during the mid-term elections in November 2018, or at the local elections in Virginia this Tuesday.

Several of his relatives had indicated earlier this year that this twice-grandfather would be ready to put 500 million dollars on the table for the 2020 presidential election.

© 2019 AFP