2025 has become the worst year for the Louvre Museum. After suffering the ‘robbery of the century’, from which the eight stolen jewels have not yet been recovered, the closure of one of the most emblematic rooms for risk of sinking y the flooding of the library of Egyptian Antiquities, what damaged 400 works. A few days before the end of the year, museum workers this Monday began an indefinite strike to protest against the deterioration of working conditions and lack of resources.
After weeks of threats, three Louvre unions called a meeting “extendable strike” that will begin this December 15 to protest against “deteriorated working conditions” and “insufficient resources.” Complaints that are not new and have been going on for years, especially staff cuts and lack of maintenance of facilities; “It’s a shame it had to come to this. In any case, we hope it serves a purpose, that it’s not just a storm in a teacup. Everyone gets agitated and, in the end, nothing much happens,” said Nathalie Ramos, general secretary of the CGT Culture union.
Before starting this strike, the unions sent a letter to the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, criticizing the situation: “Every day, museum spaces remain closed far beyond what was foreseen in the guaranteed opening plan due to the lack of sufficient staff, as well as technical failures and the deterioration of the building,” they said.
“The public only has limited access to the works and is hindered in their movements,” and they warn that “visiting the Louvre has become a true obstacle course,” they insisted.
A profound reorganization of the museum
The Minister of Culture wants to avoid a strike in full christmas holidaysone of the periods with the largest influx of visitors to the museum. For this reason, Dati met last week with the unions and promised to reverse the cut in 5.7 million euros in public financing of the Louvre planned in the 2026 budget bill, several sources informed the AFP agency.
Among the efforts to remove most visited museum in the world of its worst crisis, The authorities are seeking to carry out a “deep reorganization of the Louvre” to overcome the deficiencies that the robbery of last October 19 brought to the table, such as the absence of cameras or lack of staff, which on many occasions forces some rooms to close. “Essential measures must be taken, far beyond security,” said the minister, without giving further details.
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