Paris, February 25, 2026 – The Europe Today: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Laurence des Cars, head of the Louvre Museum, as the institution faces mounting pressure following a major jewel heist and prolonged labor unrest.
Des Cars submitted her resignation, which Macron accepted while “praising an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to successfully carry out major projects involving security and modernization,” the presidential office said in a statement.
The Louvre has been under intense scrutiny since burglars stole jewels valued at an estimated $102 million in October. The items remain missing, and the theft exposed significant security shortcomings at the world’s most-visited museum.
The crisis has been compounded by rolling strikes over pay and working conditions since December, leading to repeated closures. Additional challenges have included two water leaks and an extensive investigation into ticket fraud.
Critics, including France’s state auditors’ office, have questioned the museum’s financial priorities, pointing to relatively low spending on security and infrastructure maintenance while allocating substantial funds to acquiring new artworks. Reports indicate that only about a quarter of the museum’s collection is currently on public display, even as significant investments were made in post-pandemic relaunch initiatives.
The French government is expected to appoint new leadership to steer the Louvre through a period of institutional reform and restore public confidence.
