Martin Höpner

Prof. Martin Höpner is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cologne's Faculty of Management, Economics, and Social Sciences and Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) in Cologne. His work focuses on comparative political economy, European integration, institutional change, and industrial relations. He holds a PhD from FernUniversität Hagen (2002) and habilitation in political science from the University of Cologne (2007). Since 2007, he has led the Political Economy of European Integration research group at MPIfG, contributing to studies on EU policy dynamics, labor market governance, and democratic legitimacy.

His academic activities include membership in the International Max Planck Research School on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy (IMPRS-SPCE) since 2008 and leadership roles in the German Political Science Association (DVPW/GSPA). He chairs MPIfG's publications committee, overseeing its discussion papers and book series, and advises journals like Makroskop. His research emphasizes Germany's export-driven economic model, institutional decline, and EU policy challenges, including minimum wage directives and inflation management.

Recent work addresses the political economy of European integration asymmetry, the Nordic opposition to EU labor policies, and Germany's wage policy during crises. His analyses often critique EU structural inefficiencies and advocate for institutional reforms to enhance democratic and economic coherence.