Stephen Booth: Merkel’s departure is Macron’s opportunity – an opening for his dreams of an even closer Union

And if Germany’s Greens are in government after the federal election, they will be inclined to help him.

Garvan Walshe: Merkeldammerung. Germany’s polls put the Greens within striking distance of government.

A traffic light coalition? A Jamaica coalition? Who knows? What’s certain is that the CDU/CSU is struggling amidst a fragmenting landscape.

Miriam Cates: The uncomfortable truth is that we’re failing many families – but have a post-pandemic chance to put that right.

Surely it is far better to invest in helping parents and children than to spend money picking up the pieces.

David Gauke: I’m a convinced Remainer – but believe nonetheless that the EU has mishandled its vaccine policy

All the same, we have to make this relationship work – because, if we do not, both sides have the capacity to do each other a lot of harm.

David Davis: The Covid public inquiry should open in October, be held in two stages – and prepare for the unexpected

First, it should present future recommendations within a year. Next, on a longer timescale, it should look at what went wrong.

Another staycation summer? It certainly looks that way.

Although the Government may return to “travel corridors” between countries that have low Covid rates and/ or sound vaccination programmes.

Stephen Booth: The Integrated Review marks a further step towards the wider world and away from the European Union

Due to internal tensions, the Union can lack coherence and focus, often particularly evident in its efforts to implement a collective foreign policy.

Kate Ferguson: This new genocide amendment puts Parliament at its centre. Which is why it should be supported.

It is not a substitute for justice, but it would be a welcome addition to how the UK responds to the most serious violations.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine. A run down of the developments across Europe as extreme caution takes hold.

The suspension of the vaccine will lead to more problems in areas that are already struggling with their roll outs.

Grant Shapps: Our plan to supercharge the Union’s transport links can help make us Europe’s biggest economy by 2050

Our Union Connectivity Review will favour routes that serve this aim – be they the A75, the A55 in north Wales or the air corridors to Northern Ireland.

Greg Clark: Why we formed our industrial strategy. What it achieved. And how my successor can build on it.

It’s hard to think that the right future is to be a less research-intensive country than the rest of the world, and so I hope our commitment will endure.

Cristina Odone: How to help poorer mothers – and become a family-friendly government by doing so

In the wake of International Women’s Day, the fourth article in a five-piece series on ConservativeHome this week.

Sanjoy Sen: The Government and Stellantis. Picking winners is rarely a popular concept among Tories but it’s often a reality.

Kwarteng needs to be confident that the company’s electric plan for Ellesmere Port looks credible before committing taxpayer money.

Neil O’Brien: Lessons we can learn from fast-growing countries to help us to grow faster

Japan, Korea, Taiwan and now China, have all invested heavily in new technologies – through government support for new industries.

Iain Dale: The EU has no interest in Northern Ireland’s future prosperity. It just sees it as a mechanism to exert its power.

Plus: Say what you like about Trump, but he had a better slogan than Clinton. And: Sunak’s budget was disappointing.