Macron appoints new head of crisis-hit Louvre after jewellery heist

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Staff and agencies in ParisFebruary 25, 2026 at 01:16 PM

AI Summary

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Christophe Leribault has been appointed the new head of the Louvre Museum in Paris, succeeding Laurence des Cars after her resignation. The change in leadership follows a $102 million jewellery heist in October that exposed security vulnerabilities and led to criticism of des Cars' leadership. Leribault, previously director of the Palace of Versailles and with prior experience at the Louvre, is tasked with strengthening security, restoring trust, and implementing necessary transformations. The Louvre has also faced strikes over pay and work conditions, water leaks, and allegations of ticket fraud. A state audit revealed overdue security and infrastructure upgrades were needed, with only 39% of rooms having CCTV cameras as of 2024.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Mona Lisa 40% Laurence des Cars ×250% Christophe Leribault 70% Versailles 70% Emmanuel Macron ×280% Louvre ×480% France ×290%

Keywords

louvre 100% museum security 90% jewellery heist 80% christophe leribault 70% management failures 60% staff strikes 60% laurence des cars 50% security gaps 50% infrastructure upgrades 40%