Controversial Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of assassinated American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, announced on Monday, October 9, that he would change his name and become an independent candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
A lawyer specializing in environmental issues, he has been known since 2005 for spreading conspiracy theories about vaccines, particularly linking autism to one of their components. The sexagenarian first declared himself a presidential candidate in April under the Democratic Party banner, which would have seen him face off against President Biden in the primaries.
“I want to declare my independence: from the Democratic Party as well as from all other parties,” he finally declared during a rally on Monday in Philadelphia. By changing his designation, the candidate with an unclear policy position will appear on the ballot alongside the Democratic and Republican candidates – on track to become Joe Biden and Donald Trump, according to the latest polls.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could thus deprive candidates of both parties of valuable votes, since most elections are fought on an emergency basis. He is the son of former Democratic Attorney General and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968, but also the nephew of “JFK,” who was killed five years earlier. In a joint statement, several people close to him condemned his decision to change his label, calling it “dangerous.”