France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, has abandoned a planned reorganization of the Louvre Museum, a project announced in late December 2025 but which never progressed to implementation. The decision was revealed during a closed-door hearing before a parliamentary inquiry commission on Monday, February 23, 2026, according to commission president Alexandre Portier and former La France Insoumise (LFI) member Alexis Corbière.
The mission, initially assigned to Philippe Jost, who oversaw the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, aimed to address issues stemming from a high-profile theft in October 2025 and broader concerns about the museum’s governance. Dati had stated the reorganization would be “in-depth,” with initial recommendations expected by the finish of February 2026. That timeline was not met.
In mid-January, sources close to Dati suggested a “delay” due to ongoing labor unrest at the Louvre, which began in mid-December. However, a source familiar with the matter told Le Figaro that the mission had already been canceled. Monday’s hearing confirmed that assessment.
Portier, a member of Les Républicains (LR), stated that the mission was abandoned because “the reflection on the reorganization of the Louvre has advanced independently of this mission.” He indicated that a reorganization of the museum’s governance is “in progress,” deferring questions about specifics to potential future government announcements. Corbière noted that Dati justified the decision by citing the ongoing social conflict at the Louvre, though he questioned the connection between the two.
Dati reportedly informed the commission that “17 measures” had been taken to reform the Louvre’s governance, but details of those measures remain undisclosed. The Minister, who is seeking to turn into mayor of Paris, has not yet publicly elaborated on these steps.
The abandonment of the Jost mission coincides with a period of significant pressure on the Louvre, following what has been described as a “disastrous year” for the museum. Louvre workers recently voted to strike, adding to the institution’s challenges. Calls for the removal of the Louvre’s director have also intensified in recent weeks.
