National Rally leader Marine Le Pen lashed out at the decision to remove female employees from the Eiffel Tower during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation, after workers reported that several women were removed from their posts or replaced by men.
The measure sparked a protest by employees and the temporary closure of the iconic Parisian monument. The company in charge of its management later acknowledged that the delegation had requested limiting “interactions with women” and admitted that these conditions should not have been accepted.
Le Pen condemned the situation and maintained that “in France, we will never accept that the presence of women be limited,” while demanding a full investigation into the circumstances that led to the exclusion of female staff.
The case generated a strong political reaction in France and reopened the debate on gender equality, secularism, and the limits that should exist regarding religious demands in public spaces.
Parisian authorities announced investigations to determine how the decision was made and to establish responsibility. The Eiffel Tower reopened after the workers' strike.
