Eiffel Tower chief to quit after scandal over sidelining female staff
Patrick Branco Ruivo will leave his post at the Eiffel Tower by year-end following an internal probe that found women were removed from duties during a Hindu delegation visit.
The Eiffel Tower’s operating company, SETE, announced that Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down from his role at the end of the year after an internal review uncovered serious flaws in how a visit by a Hindu religious delegation was organized. The review found that female employees, including those of contractors, were instructed to make themselves invisible, some were removed from their posts, and men were placed in their stead.
Earlier this month, workers staged a strike to protest the treatment of women staff, describing the instructions as discriminatory. SETE admitted the delegation had asked for limited interaction with women, a condition the company said conflicted with its values and should not have been accepted. Ariel Weil, SETE’s president, reiterated the tower’s dedication to republican principles and gender equality, promising to accept the consequences of the incident.
How this was covered
- Coverage peaked at 6 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing challenges of gender equality in high-profile public institutions.
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