The Élysée Palace issued a statement on Feb. 24 announcing that Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum, had submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who accepted it, describing the move as "an act of responsibility".
Des Cars, who has served as Louvre director since 2021, submitted her resignation more than four months after a brazen robbery at the museum. According to reports, des Cars had initially offered to resign shortly after the October 2025 heist, but was not granted approval by the French Culture Minister at that time.
In an interview published Tuesday by Le Figaro, des Cars explained that she resigned because she felt the "modernization process of the Louvre" she had been promoting since taking office in September 2021, "can no longer move forward".
The Louvre has faced multiple crises in recent months. In October 2025, four masked individuals robbed the museum in broad daylight, stealing jewelry valued at approximately US$102 million. Several priceless pieces remain missing to this day. An administrative investigation into the case revealed "operational dysfunctions" including insufficient external surveillance equipment, outdated security control room technology, and inadequate internal coordination—drawing sharp criticism toward des Cars.
Additionally, since December, repeated strikes over pay and working conditions have forced multiple museum closures. These issues have been compounded by two water leakage incidents and a major ticket fraud investigation, further deepening the institution's challenges.
In its announcement, the presidency stated that Macron hopes to rely on des Cars' academic expertise by entrusting her with responsibilities concerning cooperation among major museums during France's presidency of the G7.
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