Full Breakdown
Eiffel Tower Chief Resigns After Female Staff Excluded During Hindu Delegation Visit
By Drooid · · How we work
The Resignation and Its Immediate Trigger
Patrick Branco Ruivo, director-general of the Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE) since 2018, announced he will leave his post at year-end. The decision follows an internal investigation that identified “operational flaws and shortcomings” in the organisation of a private visit by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on September 5. Female employees were instructed to stay out of sight, some were replaced by male colleagues, and others were barred from certain areas. The incident prompted a staff strike on September 7, closing the tower for the day, and a walkout on September 8.
Background on the BAPS Delegation
BAPS is a worldwide Hindu organisation whose 93-year-old spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj observes vows prohibiting contact with women. The delegation was in Paris to celebrate the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple in the suburbs and requested that interactions with women be limited.
Key Figures
- Patrick Branco Ruivo – Director-general of SETE.
- Ariel Weil – Chair of SETE’s board, who called for gender-equality training.
- Emmanuel Grégoire – Socialist mayor of Paris, who described the removal of women as “absurd, unjust and unacceptable.”
- Yaël Braun-Pivet – President of France’s National Assembly, who refused to allow women to be compelled to step aside for foreign visitors.
- Mahant Swami Maharaj – Spiritual leader of BAPS.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 5 | BAPS delegation visits; female staff instructed to stay out of sight. |
| September 7 | Staff strike forces closure. |
| September 8 | Walkout protesting exclusion of women. |
| September 29 | SETE announces Ruivo’s resignation. |
Data on the Eiffel Tower Operations
- 402 staff members.
- Approximately 6.7 million visitors annually; turnover €156 million.
- Ownership: 99 % City of Paris, 1 % Greater Paris Metropolis.
Official Responses
- SETE called the exclusion “unacceptable” and blamed planning failures.
- Ariel Weil announced new gender-equality measures and a leadership transition.
- Emmanuel Grégoire ordered two investigations and condemned the sidelining of women.
- Yaël Braun-Pivet reiterated that French republican values forbid such removal.
- BAPS issued an apology for the incident.
Political and Public Reaction
Politicians across the spectrum denounced the episode as a breach of secular and egalitarian principles. Labor representatives called the instructions humiliating and contrary to workplace equality standards.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Union officials reported that female employees were told to leave their posts, wait in separate rooms, and avoid certain areas while the delegation was present. Staff expressed shock and betrayal, saying the policy ran counter to the monument’s nondiscrimination values.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the annual visitor count: the BBC cites “7 million,” while Euronews reports “6.7 million.” No definitive figure is given for the number of BAPS delegates, only an estimate of “around 100.” Details of the investigation’s methodology and any disciplinary actions beyond the resignation remain undisclosed.
Impact and Significance
The controversy highlights tension between France’s secular, gender-equality commitments and religious practices that segregate by sex. It has prompted a reassessment of protocol for private visits to public monuments, emphasizing the need for clear guidelines that reconcile respect for religious customs with anti-discrimination laws.
What’s Next
SETE plans to create a “dedicated protocol department” and implement gender-equality measures before year-end, aiming to prevent a recurrence. The upcoming leadership transition will be overseen under these new guidelines.
