Louvre heist triggers backlash over ‘woke’ hiring policies

The Louvre Museum has come under fire after critics accused its leadership of prioritising “woke” diversity goals over professional competence, following a daring daylight robbery that saw the French crown jewels stolen.

The controversy centres on Dominique Buffin, appointed last year as the Louvre’s first female head of security under director Laurence des Cars, the museum’s first female director. The appointment had been celebrated in the French press as part of the museum’s “gender-equality initiative”.

However, the theft has prompted a political storm. Marion Marechal, Member of the European Parliament and niece of Marine Le Pen, blasted the incident as “a humiliation that makes France the laughingstock of the world.” She called on Culture Minister Rachida Dati to demand the resignations of des Cars and Buffin, alleging they were chosen “as part of a feminisation policy at the cost of competence and the safety of our cultural heritage.”

A state audit conducted before the heist had already found the Louvre’s security systems to be “outdated and inadequate,” while experts have warned for years that the museum’s protections were fragile.

Police investigators are now pursuing several leads and have not ruled out an inside job, though early findings suggest organised crime involvement. The Louvre remained closed to the public on Monday as authorities combed through CCTV footage and assessed the extent of the loss.