PARIS — The head of the Louvre, Laurence des Cars, has resigned after months of mounting crises at the world’s largest museum, including a high-profile robbery of French crown jewels, the French presidency announced.
President Emmanuel Macron accepted Des Cars’ resignation, with the Elysee hailing it as “an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs appeasement and a new strong impetus to carry out major security projects.” Macron appointed Des Cars to lead the Louvre in 2021.
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Des Cars had come under intense scrutiny since an Oct. 19 break-in that saw roughly $100 million worth of crown jewels stolen in broad daylight. The heist, which stunned France and drew international attention, is the subject of multiple inquiries now examining how thieves breached one of the most visited cultural institutions on earth.
According to the presidency, Des Cars submitted her resignation letter to Macron. She had first offered to step down shortly after the October break-in, but the president initially declined to accept.
Parliamentary investigators leading a probe into the robbery last week presented an interim assessment after 70 hearings, pointing to “systemic failures” that enabled the break-in. Their complete findings are due to be released in May, a timeline that underscores the depth of the questions around the museum’s security posture and crisis response.
The French Culture Ministry has ordered an internal audit of the robbery, and senators are conducting their own hearings into the case. The multiple tracks of oversight reflect the stakes for an institution central to France’s cultural identity and tourism economy.
Police have placed four suspects in custody, including two alleged thieves, authorities said. The eight stolen items — French crown jewels valued at an estimated $102 million — have not been recovered.
The robbery is not the only challenge to have dogged the Louvre in recent months. The museum has also been hit by a ticket fraud scandal that raised new questions about oversight, as well as a burst pipe earlier this month that caused a water leak in a wing housing the Mona Lisa and other priceless works.
The Elysee framed the leadership change as a reset aimed at restoring calm and accelerating upgrades to protect the collection. The presidency’s statement emphasized the need for “appeasement” and a stronger security push as the Louvre contends with legal, operational and reputational pressures.
The Louvre’s leadership turmoil lands as investigators and auditors work in parallel to reconstruct the October heist and determine where systems and protocols broke down. The parliamentary probe’s interim findings describing “systemic failures,” along with the ministry’s audit and Senate hearings, signal a broad reexamination of how the museum safeguards its treasures and manages risk.
With the stolen jewels still missing and multiple inquiries under way, Des Cars’ departure marks a decisive moment for the museum’s governing authorities. The focus now shifts to stabilizing operations, rebuilding public trust and delivering the “new strong impetus” for security that the Elysee says the institution urgently requires.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
