The formerly 27-strong Party of the European Left (PEL) – a cross-European political grouping – has split into two factions, with one seeking to expand to absorb parties from central and eastern Europe. The PEL – which is connected to but independent of The Left group in European Parliament – has now been reduced to 23 parties and just five MEPs, including Greece’s Syriza and Germany’s Die Linke. Finland’s Vasemmistoliitto, Portugal’s Bloco de Esquerda, Denmark’s Endheslisten and La France Insoumise have ditched the party and joined Sweden’s Vansterpartiet, Poland’s Razem and Spain’s Podemos i…