Louvre director resigns after series of crises

A few months after historic artifacts were stolen from the Louvre Museum in France, its director Laurence des Cars has resigned, submitting her resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron.

A new development has emerged regarding the Louvre Museum, which has recently been in the spotlight due to robbery incidents, worker strikes, and water leakage problems, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

In a statement from the Élysée Palace, it was announced that Laurence des Cars has resigned from her position as director of the Louvre Museum, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

The statement noted that des Cars submitted her resignation letter to Emmanuel Macron, who accepted it and expressed satisfaction with what he described as a responsible act at a time when the museum needs calm.

It was also stated that, as part of efforts to make the museum safer and more modern, the world-famous cultural institution requires a new initiative.

Additionally, the statement announced that Macron has appointed des Cars to oversee cooperation among major museums of G7 member countries during France’s G7 presidency.

Historic artifacts had been stolen

The world-renowned Louvre Museum, which displays approximately 35,000 works, was robbed on October 19, 2025.

During the robbery, nine “priceless” works were stolen from the section known as the Apollo Gallery, where the Crown Jewels were exhibited. A crown belonging to Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, believed to have been dropped by the thieves while fleeing, was later found damaged outside the museum. The robbery, carried out by four thieves who escaped with eight historically valuable jewels, lasted seven minutes.

A preliminary report prepared by the Court of Accounts stated that there had been “continuous” and “significant” delays in providing technical equipment that meets security standards at the museum, creating a security vulnerability.

The suspects who stole the artifacts from the Louvre were arrested one by one about two weeks after the robbery; however, the stolen items were not recovered.

Water leakage issues at the museum

On November 26, 2025, a water leak occurred in the museum’s library housing artifacts from ancient Egypt, damaging various books and documents.

Due to a serious water leak detected in Section 707, known as the Duchâtel section, certain parts of the institution were closed to visitors on February 13. The affected area contained numerous works dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

Operation against ticket fraud network

On February 10, police carried out an operation targeting a large-scale “ticket fraud” network that was found to be scamming visitors at the Louvre Museum. Nine individuals, including two museum employees, were detained.

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office announced that legal proceedings had been launched against nine suspects linked to the ticket fraud network on charges including “organized fraud,” “membership in a criminal organization,” and “active corruption.”

Prosecutors stated that one of the suspects was arrested, while the other eight were released under judicial supervision.

French media reported that the fraud network began operating in the summer of 2024 and particularly targeted Chinese visitors.