You are really the greatest hope for Germany. I believe it's important that people (in Germany) should be proud to be German, said Musk in a video message to thousands of AFD supporters in the city of Halle, a statement that received great attention in German media.
Then Musk added his thoughts on German identity, values, and culture, and the importance of not "losing this in a kind of multiculturalism that blinds everything".
The German people are an old nation that stretches back a thousand years, he said, referring to the Roman leader Julius Caesar's respect for Germanic tribes.
"Leave the guilt behind"
Then Musk urged AFD supporters to "fight, fight, fight" for Germany's future, and said it was high time for Germans to "leave the guilt behind".
Thousands of demonstrators gathered to protest against AFD and the far-right currents in Germany. Large manifestations were held, among others, at the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, where demonstrators lit up a joint message of "hope and resistance".
Further protests were held, among others, in Cologne.
This is not the first time Musk, who is also part of the American President Donald Trump's administration, has chosen to comment on German politics in the ongoing election campaign.
He sparked outrage when he wrote a post about the greatness of the far-right party AFD in the newspaper Welt am Sonntag in December, which led to the editorial writer for the Springer-owned newspaper resigning in protest.
"Supports far-right extremists"
Musk has also participated in a long, live-broadcast conversation earlier in January with party leader Alice Weidel for AFD, which was broadcast on Musk-owned X.
This is completely unacceptable. He supports far-right extremists everywhere in Europe, said Germany's Federal Chancellor, social democrat Olaf Scholz, after the broadcast.
Elon Musk, born in South Africa but with American and Canadian citizenship, has also been questioned when he chose to make a greeting with his right arm in connection with Trump's inauguration as president. The gesture's similarity to both Nazi and fascist symbols sparked criticism.
The election to the German Bundestag will be held on February 23. The far-right party has around 20 percent in opinion polls.
