German firebrand politician quits far-left Die Linke to set up her own party

Sahra Wagenknecht joined by nine other MPs in migration-sceptical party which will court unhappy voters on left and right

A leading German radical-left politician who has questioned the green transition and blamed the west for Russia's war on Ukraine has left her party to set up a new one, in a move likely to cost the far right votes and further fragment the nation's politics.

Sahra Wagenknecht, the charismatic former co-leader of the far-left Die Linke, said on Monday that the new association - named after herself - would court unhappy voters on the left and right, starting with next June's European parliament elections.