American tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise address at the campaign launch for Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as thousands of people gathered across the country to protest the rise of the far-right party.

"It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything," he said in a virtual visit.

Four weeks before Germany’s snap election, the political temperature is rising as the campaign shifts onto the contentious terrain of migration and Elon Musk steps up his support for the far-right AfD party.