New York (AFP)

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an increasingly likely candidate for the 2020 US presidential election, plans to launch a $ 31 million television advertising campaign on Monday, deemed anti-democratic by Bernie Sanders.

According to Advertising Analytics, the billionaire has bought a total of $ 31 million in advertising inserts, the largest sum ever spent by a US presidential candidate: the previous record was for Barack Obama, with nearly 25 million spent the last week of his 2012 campaign.

This amount reflects the strength of the former 77-year-old mayor, one of the richest men in the world, to the chagrin of the 17 Democrats who are already competing to challenge Donald Trump in November 2020 in a race. still very open.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the candidates who, with Elizabeth Warren, attacks the most billionaires, said Friday "disgusted by the idea that Michael Bloomberg or any other billionaire thinks he can circumvent the political process and exceed tens of millions dollars to buy our election ".

"If we can not get grassroots support for his candidacy, we should not run for president," he said in a statement.

When Michael Bloomberg said two weeks ago that he could run, Elizabeth Warren had also accused him of wanting to "buy the election".

The billionaire, who led New York from 2002 to 2013, has multiplied since preparations for a candidacy, registering on Thursday among the federal electoral commission.

He had assured 10 days ago to be "close" to making a final decision, but never gave a date.

cat / leo

© 2019 AFP