Story perspectives

Eiffel Tower chief to step down after women exclusion controversy

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Patrick Branco Ruivo Resigns

Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down as Eiffel Tower director-general at year-end after the female staff removal controversy.
An internal probe found flaws caused unacceptable exclusion of women during Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) visit on September 5.
Staff walkout on September 8 forced the Eiffel Tower to close for a day in protest.
SETE chair Ariel Weil announced new gender-equality measures and created a dedicated protocol department.

Summary

Mayor Launches Probes

Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire commissioned two investigations into the September protocol failure.
SETE reported the Eiffel Tower generates €156 million in annual turnover.
The monument employs 402 staff members and receives about 6.7 million visitors each year.
The 330-meter tower was closed for six days in February 2024 for maintenance and wage disputes.
BAPS, a worldwide Hindu organization, inaugurated a traditional stone temple in Paris during the visit.

History

Historical Context

In September 2024, SETE director Patrick Branco Ruivo resigned after a BAPS visit sparked a staff walkout, prompting Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire and Paris mayor Ariel Weil to order investigations. The episode revives debate over France’s 2000 parity law, which first mandated equal gender representation on electoral lists and has helped lift women’s share of National Assembly deputies to 38.8% in 2017.

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Patrick Branco Ruivo Resigns

Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down as Eiffel Tower director-general at year-end after the female staff removal controversy.
An internal probe found flaws caused unacceptable exclusion of women during Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) visit on September 5.
Staff walkout on September 8 forced the Eiffel Tower to close for a day in protest.
SETE chair Ariel Weil announced new gender-equality measures and created a dedicated protocol department.

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