Thousands of people have demonstrated against a convention of the far-right Alternative for Germany, blocking some roads and delaying the meeting’s start as the country’s major parties launched their

RIESA, Germany (AP) — A convention of the far-right Alternative for Germany party was met by protests on Saturday as it and other major parties launch their campaigns for the country's election next month.

The two-day conference started a little over two hours late as many delegates’ trips to the venue were slowed by blockades.

The German government accused U.S. billionaire Elon Musk on Monday of trying to influence its election due in February with articles supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, even though it suggested they amounted to “nonsense.

In his opinion piece, Musk called the AfD "the last spark of hope" for Germany and argued in favor of the party's positions on energy, economic recovery and migration, saying they reflect "the principles that made Tesla and SpaceX successful," according to a Euronews translation.