US tech billionaire Elon Musk gave a video address to a campaign rally of Germany's anti-immigration AfD party on Saturday, his latest show of support before the country's election next month.
Mr Musk told a gathering of thousands of AfD supporters in the eastern city of Halle that their party was “the best hope for the future of Germany”.
Mr Musk has raised concern from some mainstream leaders who have accused him of interfering in European politics with comments on his social platform X about politicians in countries including Germany and Britain.
He also drew criticism this week for making a public hand gesture that was seen by some as resembling a straight-armed Nazi salute.
On Saturday, he said: “Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents,” apparently referring to Germany's Nazi past.
“There is too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that,” he said.
Mr Musk, who spoke of suppression of speech under Germany's government, has previously attacked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X.
For his part, Mr Scholz on Tuesday said he does not support freedom of speech when it is used for extreme-right views.
Mr Musk spoke in favour of voting for the far right party, saying: “I'm very excited for the AfD, I think you're really the best hope for Germany fight for a great future for Germany,” he told onlookers.
Mr Musk is a close associate of US President Donald Trump, who has appointed him to head a new department of “government efficiency” in his administration.
Like Mr Trump, the AfD opposes immigration, denies climate change, rails against gender politics and has declared war on a political establishment and mainstream media it condemns as censorious.
Ahead of Germany's February 23 elections, it is polling at around 20 per cent, a record for a party that has already shattered a decades-old taboo against the far right in postwar Germany.
