Eiffel Tower chief to step down after row over female staff

Patrick Branco Ruivo, SETE chief executive since the end of 2018, announced on 29 September 2026 that he will leave the post at the end of 2026. During a visit by the Hindu group Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha in early September 2026—dated 5 September by The Independent—female staff were asked to leave their posts and withdraw to other rooms. Eiffel Tower staff went on strike in protest, and the tower closed for a full day on 7 September 2026. Two investigations were launched at the initiative of Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire. SETE said the inquiry brought to light a series of malfunctions and shortcomings in the organisation of protocol visits, which resulted in the exclusion of female staff on the day of the visit, an unacceptable situation. Workers said some female employees were asked to leave their posts and to withdraw to other rooms; a union official called the management instructions unacceptable. Ariel Weil, chair of SETE, said she has requested measures and training programs promoting gender equality. SETE is 99% owned by the City of Paris and 1% by the Greater Paris Metropolis. The tower has 402 employees; Euronews puts visitors at 6.7 million a year and turnover at 156 million euros, while The Independent puts visitors at 7 million. A prior strike closed the tower for six days in February 2024.