Prominent German leftist to launch a new party that could eat into far-right’s support

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — A prominent German leftist politician has launched plans to form a new party that some observers think could take votes away from the far-right Alternative for Germany. Sahra Wagenknecht presented her plan on Monday. The aim is to formally launch the party in January, in time for European Parliament elections in June. Wagenknecht offers a combination of left-wing economic policy, with high wages and generous benefits, and a restrictive approach to migration. She questions some environmentalists’ plans to combat climate change. She opposes current sanctions against Russia and German arms supplies to Ukraine. Wagenknecht is launching her project at a time when center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition is deeply unpopular.