Marion Maréchal, a French sovereigntist politician, criticized the Louvre’s decision to prioritize diverse hiring in its security leadership, suggesting it compromised their effectiveness amid the recent jewelry theft.
The Louvre, renowned as the largest art museum in the world, is currently undergoing, as Maréchal describes, a forced “feminization” that she feels undermines France’s cultural heritage. Her comments came in the wake of a high-profile heist described as the most significant museum theft in decades; many in France’s right-wing circles are expressing outrage at the incident, calling it a disgrace on a global stage.
Marine Le Pen, Maréchal’s aunt and leader of the National Solidarity Party, lamented the lost artifacts, including earrings and tiaras adorned with emeralds and sapphires, labeling the incident “a wound to the soul of France.” Another party member, Jourdan Bardera, echoed this sentiment by branding the theft as “an intolerable humiliation.”
Eric Zemmour, a prominent ultraconservative figure, broadened the cultural implications of the robbery, asserting, “Our churches have been desecrated, our heritage left neglected, and now the security of the Louvre, the largest museum globally, has been compromised.” He warned that a nation failing to safeguard its heritage faces dire consequences, advocating for a revival of cultural vigilance.
Following the heist, it became apparent that the Louvre’s long-promised security upgrades were significantly delayed. The area where the priceless jewels were displayed lacked even basic surveillance equipment. Many questions arose regarding the inaction of the five staff members present during the robbery.
Maréchal highlighted the newly appointed head of security, asserting that the implementation of DEI policies, which mandate gender balance in leadership roles, is detracting from the museum’s overall effectiveness. “France has become a worldwide laughing stock due to this senseless theft from the Louvre,” she remarked, urging Culture Minister Rashida Dati to resign.
She suggested that both the museum’s director, Laurence de Caer, and head of security, Dominique Baffin, should be held accountable for the situation, alleging that they glossed over critical security needs in favor of a feminization agenda. “We are paying dearly for neglecting our capabilities and endangering our cultural legacy,” she added.
Reports indicate that Coach De Cars faced backlash from his team when addressing them after the robbery, suggesting underlying tensions. Museum staff have previously gone on strike over crowding and safety conditions.
In response to the criticism, Minister Dati insisted that any issues stemmed from decades of neglect rather than recent changes at the museum. She announced a national review of security measures at other cultural institutions, arguing that previous concerns had often been overlooked.
Although the display cabinet for the stolen jewelry was updated in 2019, there are ongoing debates about the security of the new modern designs compared to their more traditional predecessors. A satirical French publication recently speculated that the previous display case had been enhanced with bulletproof glass and included a safety mechanism triggering automatic protection for the treasures.
Finally, the Louvre defended its recent decisions, claiming that the new security arrangements are a significant improvement, although some evidence suggests otherwise. They countered that the older display case was so outdated that the security issues could have led to the removal of the jewelry had it not been replaced.
