Musk contributes locally to Germany's far-right party..."Immigration is a matter of national identity."

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has emerged as a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, is controversial as he tries to influence Germany's general election.

According to the Associated Press, CEO Musk wrote an article in the German weekly Belt Am Johntak on the 28th local time in support of the right-wing populist opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD).

"While AfD is described as far-right, it is a party that deals with a political reality that many Germans who are turned away by the establishment can relate to," Musk said in a contribution, stressing that "it is clearly wrong to label AfD as a far-right party."

The AfD, founded in 2013, is a party whose main policies include withdrawal from the European Union, restrictions on the acceptance of immigrants, and emphasis on German culture and identity.

"AfD supports a controlled immigration policy that prioritizes German culture and security," Musk said, expressing support for AfD's policy, noting that it is not xenophobic, but ensuring that Germany does not lose its identity in the process of globalization.

"The state must protect its core values and cultural heritage to remain united," he said.

Musk also posted on X (X, formerly Twitter) last week that "Only AfD can save Germany."

Musk, who runs the "Giga Factory Berlin," a car assembly plant near Berlin with the largest annual production volume of 500,000 cars, has been vocal in the past, criticizing German bureaucracy.

There are many criticisms within Germany that Musk's actions are not appropriate.

In fact, the editor-in-chief of opinion at the weekly magazine Belt am Johntak resigned in protest of Musk's publication of his contribution.

"Musk's diagnosis of German society may be right, but the suggestion that 'Only AfD can save Germany' is completely wrong," Beltam Zontak said in a separate editorial director column under Musk's contribution.The AfD, popular in the former East German region of

, has sparked social controversy due to racist comments made by some party leaders, while three of its branches have been categorized as extremist groups and are under the radar of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Constitutional Protection Agency (BfV).

However, it has been on the rise, with support rising to 19% ahead of the February 23 general election next year.