Eiffel Tower chief to resign over female staff replacement row

The head of the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said he would resign after female staff members were replaced by male colleagues during a visit by a delegation of BAPS Hindu monks earlier this month. The monks were in Paris to inaugurate a new Hindu temple as part of their organisation's expansion in Europe.

The decision to substitute female employees with males during the religious visit prompted sharp backlash from French officials and gender equality advocates, who questioned whether the company had accommodated discriminatory practices. Critics argued that replacing staff based on gender violated workplace principles and French employment law.

The incident has reignited broader discussions about religious accommodation in secular workplaces and the boundaries of institutional flexibility when hosting visitors with particular beliefs or practices. French authorities have called for an investigation into how the decision was made and whether proper protocols were followed.

The departure of the Eiffel Tower operator's chief executive represents a significant consequence of the controversy and underscores growing pressure on major French institutions to uphold strict standards regarding gender equality and non-discrimination policies.