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Macron Accepts Resignation of Louvre Director Laurence des Cars After Jewel Heist

He called the move an act of responsibility.

Overview

  • The Élysée said President Emmanuel Macron accepted her resignation and assigned her a mission under France’s G7 presidency to foster cooperation among major museums.
  • In October, thieves stole eight crown‑jewelry pieces worth about €88 million from the Apollo Gallery in under eight minutes, dropping Empress Eugénie’s crown, which the museum says can be restored.
  • Investigators have arrested multiple suspects but most jewels remain missing; the Paris prosecutor says two men in their 30s were identified via DNA on a helmet, are Algerian nationals, and four people took part, with two still at large.
  • Parliamentary and ministerial reviews have flagged systemic security failures, with full inquiry findings due in May as police investigations and a culture ministry audit continue.
  • The departure follows months of turmoil at the museum, including staff strikes, water leaks that damaged works, a ticket‑fraud case with charges, and a pause to parts of the Louvre’s ‘New Renaissance’ modernization plan.