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The head of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower is stepping down from his role after a controversy involving the removal of female staff during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation, the firm announced on Tuesday. Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has served as director general of the iconic Paris monument's management company, SETE, since 2018, will depart at the end of the year, according to a statement released by the organisation.
The decision follows an internal investigation that identified serious problems with how the visit was arranged. SETE stated that "operational flaws and shortcomings" in the organisation of the event resulted in the "unacceptable" removal of female employees from their posts. The company's leadership has now committed to implementing measures aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
The controversy erupted earlier this month when a delegation of approximately 100 people associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) group toured the Eiffel Tower. BAPS is a Hindu movement whose beliefs trace back to the 18th Century and which maintains a strict separation between men and women, including in temple activities and at building entrances.
During the visit, female staff members were reportedly replaced by male colleagues in order to accommodate the delegation's request to limit "interactions with women." SETE acknowledged at the time that the Hindu group had made this request and stated that "these conditions should not have been accepted."
A representative from a staff union described the situation in stark terms, saying that "women were asked to leave their places of work" and that those affected felt "humiliated" by the experience. Employees at the monument also reported that female workers were "instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present," effectively segregating them from the visiting group.
The incident provoked widespread anger among the tower's workforce. Staff members organised a strike to express their outrage, which resulted in the closure of the monument to visitors. The strike action drew significant public attention to the treatment of the female employees and the decision-making process that allowed the situation to occur.
Political figures across the spectrum condemned the incident. Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of France's National Assembly, made her position clear after the visit, stating: "I refuse to allow women to be compelled to step aside in order to meet the demands of foreign visitors." Her comments reflected a broader concern that French values of gender equality should not be compromised to accommodate the customs of foreign groups.
Emmanuel Gregoire, the Socialist mayor of Paris, also weighed in on the controversy, describing it as an "absurd, unjust and unacceptable decision." He subsequently ordered two separate investigations into how the situation had been allowed to develop, signalling the seriousness with which local authorities viewed the matter.
In response to the fallout, SETE chair Ariel Weil said on Tuesday that he had requested the implementation of measures and training programmes designed to promote gender equality within the organisation. He also addressed the leadership transition, stating that "the coming months will allow us to prepare for the leadership transition under the best possible conditions."
The BAPS organisation issued an apology earlier this month, expressing regret "for any pain or inconvenience caused" by the visit. In its statement, the group emphasised that "we believe in the universal values of mutual respect and service." On its website, BAPS describes itself as a "spiritual, volunteer-driven fellowship dedicated to improving society" through Hindu principles.
The movement has established temples in major cities around the world, including London, Los Angeles and Sydney, and has a significant global following. Its beliefs are rooted in the teachings of Lord Swaminarayan, a late 18th-Century celibate ascetic whom followers regard as an incarnation of Vishnu, the Hindu god associated with preservation.
BAPS has defended its practice of segregating men and women, arguing that it was introduced for the benefit of women. However, critics contend that such 18th-Century beliefs have no place in contemporary society and that excluding women in the name of religious practice amounts to discrimination.
The departure of Branco Ruivo, who has led SETE for six years, represents a significant change in leadership for one of the world's most recognisable landmarks. The Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors annually and is a symbol of Paris and France. The controversy has raised questions about how the monument's management balances respect for religious customs with the principles of equality and the rights of its employees.
SETE's commitment to introducing training programmes and measures promoting gender equality signals an acknowledgment that the organisation needs to change its approach to handling requests that conflict with French values. The leadership transition at the end of the year will provide an opportunity for the company to reassess its policies and ensure that similar incidents do not occur again.
The incident has also sparked broader discussions in France about the intersection of religious accommodation and gender equality. It follows ongoing debates in the country about secularism and the place of religious practices in public institutions and spaces. For many observers, the Eiffel Tower incident became a symbol of the tension between respecting cultural sensitivities and upholding fundamental principles of equality.
As the investigation continues and the search for a new director general begins, the focus will likely remain on ensuring that the lessons learned from this controversy lead to meaningful change. The tower's employees, who demonstrated their objections through strike action, will be watching closely to see whether the promised reforms materialise and whether the monument's management can rebuild trust with its workforce.
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