Marius Job Cohen, commonly known as Job Cohen, is a retired Dutch politician and jurist born on October 18, 1947, in Heerlen, Netherlands. He comes from a Jewish family; his father was a rabbi who survived the Holocaust. Cohen studied law at the University of Groningen, earning his degree in 1971, then worked as a lawyer before becoming a professor of constitutional and administrative law at Leiden University from 1981 to 1998. He entered national politics in 1998 as State Secretary for Justice in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Wim Kok, focusing on immigration and integration. In 2001, following the assassination of Pim Fortuyn, he was appointed Mayor of Amsterdam, serving until 2010. As mayor, he became known for his progressive policies on multiculturalism and his 'keeping things together' (samenhouden) philosophy, promoting tolerance and social cohesion in the diverse city, especially after events like the 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. In 2010, he led the Labour Party (PvdA) into national elections as party leader and parliamentary leader until his resignation in 2012. Post-politics, he has remained active in public discourse, serving on various boards and advisory roles, including as a member of the Dutch Safety Board until 2017. Cohen is recognized for his calm, consensus-building approach in Dutch politics.