Schelto Patijn [ˈsxɛɫtoː pɑˈtɛin] (13 August 1936 – 15 July 2007) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist.

He was a descendant of Michiel de Ruyter, he was named after the father of his mother, politician Schelto van Citters.

In 1961–1962 he followed a post-academic study in Washington D.C. Hereafter he was a policy employee at the European Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, up to 1967 when he changed to the Europe institute of the University of Leiden.

Patijn received a doctorate degree in September 1973 from the Utrecht University on: 'the European Parliament, the fight for its powers'.

Early 1982 he was candidate Mayor of Rotterdam, but minister Ed van Thijn preferred the 42-year-old Bram Peper.

In that function he signed a decision of the Provincial Council of South Holland on 30 August 1988, that later lead to a financial scandal (in 1999).

Patijn was a remarkable choice, because a tradition appeared to be emerging to appoint a Jewish mayor in the municipality of Amsterdam.

When however the town province was voted down by referendum, one mayor job only remained for Patijn; actually a degradation for a commissioner of the queen.