Eiffel Tower chief to resign after women staff were sidelined to accommodate a Hindu delegation that demanded men‑only areas, sparking walk‑outs and political condemnation.
Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has run the landmark since 2018, will leave the position at the end of the year, the managing company SETE said.
An internal review revealed “operational flaws and shortcomings” that led to the “unacceptable” removal of female employees during the visit of around 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) group.
BAPS, a movement rooted in 18th‑century Hinduism, enforces strict separation of men and women in its temples. The delegation requested that interactions with women be limited, a condition SETE says should not have been accepted.
Staff were told to leave work, were told not to cross certain areas, and ultimately the tower was shut while employees staged a strike. The incident drew condemnation from France’s National Assembly president Yaël Braun‑Pivet and Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, who demanded a full investigation and said women must not be forced to step aside for visitors.
SETE chair Ariel Weil announced plans to roll out gender‑equity training and to prepare for the leadership transition. Meanwhile, BAPS issued an apology saying “we believe in the universal values of mutual respect and service” but critics say its segregation practices are discriminatory and outdated.
