The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Saturday unanimously elected party co-chair Alice Weidel as its candidate for chancellor in February's parliamentary elections. The motion was carried to thunderous applause by almost 600 party delegates gathered for a conference in Riesa in the eastern state of Saxony.

Political leaders have shunned the Alternative for Germany. But on his social media platform X, Mr. Musk is pitching the party as mainstream.

Elon Musk praised the co-leader of the German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) as “very reasonable” on Thursday, urging Germans to vote for the far-right party in what is the latest high-profile sign of the tech billionaire’s involvement in European politics.