The museum’s leadership is facing criticism for allegedly valuing diversity above qualifications
Following a daylight robbery in which the French crown jewels were stolen, the Louvre Museum’s administration has come under fire for reportedly prioritizing diversity over competence in key appointments.
The core of the dispute centers on Dominique Buffin, the Louvre’s security chief, whose selection last year was heralded in French media as a move toward gender balance. Buffin, who previously served in the police force and the Culture Ministry, became the museum’s first female head of security in September after being appointed by director Laurence des Cars, herself the Louvre’s first woman to hold the position.
Marion Marechal, a member of the European Parliament and niece of veteran right-wing politician Marine Le Pen, asserted that France had become the “laughingstock of the world” over what she described as the “ridiculous theft.”
“This humiliation demands a response,” Marechal posted on X on Monday, calling on Culture Minister Rachida Dati to insist on the immediate resignations of des Cars and Buffin, whom she accused of being appointed “as part of a feminization policy.”
Marechal stated that this approach came “at the cost of forgoing competence and endangering the nation’s cultural heritage.”
The Louvre, home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, has previously faced criticism for security deficiencies and delays in modernization. A state audit had found its security systems “old and inadequate” before the heist. Former Louvre director Pierre Rosenberg warned as early as 1998 that the museum’s security remained “fragile.”
Investigators said they were pursuing several leads and had not dismissed the possibility of an inside job, though initial evidence suggested organized crime. The Louvre remained closed to visitors on Monday while police reviewed CCTV footage.