Germany’s opposition Left Party to dissolve caucus after prominent member launches rival venture

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s opposition Left Party says it will dissolve its parliamentary caucus next month after prominent member Sahra Wagenknecht broke away to found a new party with a more nationalist, migration-skeptic agenda. The Left Party emerged in 2005, bringing together ex-communists from eastern Germany with leftists from the west disgruntled by welfare state cuts. It was a potent opposition force in its early years, but was later plagued by deep internal divisions. Wagenknecht and nine other lawmakers quit the Left Party last month. They plan to formally launch a new party in January.