Eiffel Tower Director General to Step Down After Women Staff Removed for Hindu Group Visit

On Tuesday, SETE, the operating company of the Eiffel Tower, announced that Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has served as director general since 2018, will step down at the year's end. An internal inquiry revealed "operational flaws and shortcomings" related to a visit on September 5 by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), during which female staff were removed from the delegation's route. SETE deemed this action "unacceptable." The decision to adhere to the group's request for reduced "interactions with women" led to a staff walkout and the temporary closure of the Paris landmark. The incident sparked widespread criticism across France's political landscape, emphasizing the nation's commitment to secularism and gender equality. SETE had previously acknowledged the Hindu group's request, stating that "these conditions should not have been accepted." Ruivo's resignation follows the investigation into the matter.