Eduard van Thijn (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈeːdyʋɑrt ˈɛt fɑn ˈtɛin]; 16 August 1934 – 19 December 2021) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and historian. He was a member of the Municipal Council of Amsterdam (1962–1971), member of the House of Representatives (1967–1981; 1982–1983), Minister of the Interior (1981–1982; 1994), Mayor of Amsterdam (1983–1994), and member of the Senate (1999–2007).

Van Thijn was also a prolific author, having written more than a dozen books since 1977 about politics, the history of the Jews during World War II, the history of socialism and several autobiographies. He was known for his abilities as a manager and policy wonk. He continued to comment on political affairs until his retirement in 2017 and holds the distinction as the longest-serving Mayor of Amsterdam after World War II with 10 years.

Van Thijn was born on 16 August 1934 in Amsterdam to Jewish parents who in 1943 were held in the Westerbork transit camp.

Van Thijn attended the Amsterdams Lyceum from September 1945 until June 1952 and applied at the University of Amsterdam in June 1952 majoring in Sociology and obtained a Bachelor of Social Science degree in June 1954 before graduating with a Master of Social Science degree in July 1958. Van Thijn worked as researcher at the Wiardi Beckman Foundation from August 1958 until February 1967.

Van Thijn served on the Municipal Council of Amsterdam from May 1962 until September 1971.

Van Thijn was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1967, taking office on 23 February 1967. After the election of 1972 the Leader of the Labour Party and Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives Joop den Uyl became Prime Minister in the Cabinet Den Uyl and van Thijn was selected as his successor as Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives on 11 May 1973. After the election of 1977 Den Uyl returned as Parliamentary leader on 8 June 1977 but he was still serving in the cabinet and because of dualism customs in the constitutional convention of Dutch politics he couldn't serve a dual mandate. He subsequently resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives and Parliamentary leader on 8 September 1977 and van Thijn again took over as Parliamentary leader on 8 September 1977. Following the cabinet formation of 1977 the Cabinet Den Uyl was replaced by the Cabinet Van Agt–Wiegel on 19 December 1977 and Den Uyl subsequently returned as a Member of the House of Representatives and as Parliamentary leader on 16 January 1978.

After the election of 1981 van Thijn was appointed Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III on 29 May 1982.

After the election of 1982 van Thijn returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982. In May 1983 van Thijn was nominated as the next Mayor of Amsterdam, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives the same day he was installed as Mayor, taking office on 16 June 1983.