Eiffel Tower chief to resign after gender‑bias during Hindu delegation visit

Patrick Branco Ruivo, the general director of the Eiffel Tower, will step down at the end of the year after a backlash over the removal of female staff during a visit by a Hindu group.

SETE, the company that manages the landmark, said its internal investigation found that “operational flaws and shortcomings” led to the “unacceptable” displacement of women. Male colleagues were brought in to replace them when a delegation of about 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) requested a visit that limited interactions with women.

The BAPS movement maintains a strict separation of men and women in its temples and public spaces, a practice critics argue is discriminatory. An employee union representative said women were “asked to leave their places of work” and felt “humiliated”, while staff were also told not to enter certain areas during the visit.

The incident prompted a strike by tower staff and condemnation from politicians. Yaël Braun‑Pivet, president of France’s National Assembly, declared she would not allow women to be forced aside for foreign visitors. Socialist mayor Emmanuel Gregoire called the decision “absurd, unjust and unacceptable” and ordered investigations.

SETE chair Ariel Weil announced the company would implement training programmes to promote gender equality and that the transition would be managed “under the best possible conditions.”

BAPS issued an apology for any pain or inconvenience caused, emphasizing universal values of mutual respect and service. While the organization holds temples worldwide, its 18th‑century beliefs and segregation practices spark debate over their relevance in modern society.