The Louvre Museum partially reopened on Wednesday after being closed on Monday due to an employee strike, amid a context marked by a recent jewelry heist valued at over $100 million and ongoing unresolved labor disputes. "Not all spaces are accessible, but the museum is open, and the first visitors are entering," the Louvre's management told the AFP agency. Among the sectors open to the public is the so-called 'masterpieces tour,' which includes iconic works such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The reopening came despite about 300 employees voting to hold a second strike on Wednesday, following Monday's action. According to the CGT union, the majority among workers, the proposals from the Ministry of Culture were deemed "insufficient and unacceptable." The Louvre, which received nearly nine million visitors in 2024, is going through a period of strong institutional tension. In November, the museum had to close a gallery due to the building's deterioration, and weeks ago, a water leak damaged hundreds of works in the library of the Egyptian Antiquities department. Workers are demanding more staffing, permanent salary improvements, and a building maintenance plan. Tuesday is the museum's weekly closing day. "It would not be advisable for the Louvre's management to risk the establishment's security," they stated. To the security issues are added structural difficulties. Since then, the museum has been under intense public and political pressure. A representative of the CFDT union, Valérie Baud, warned about the risks of operating in the current context. They also question the recent increase in the entrance fee for non-European visitors. From January 14, they will have to pay 32 euros, up from the current 22, a 45% increase. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in front of the Louvre Pyramid was a mix of boos and gestures of understanding. "I'm not angry, I respect the workers and their right to defend themselves," said Maximilian Cimander, a 23-year-old German student. The Ministry of Culture announced the cancellation of a budget cut planned for 2026, the redistribution of staff, and the opening of new hires, as well as an exceptional bonus, measures that the unions still consider insufficient. On October 19, four men broke in through a window and stole several pieces of the French crown's jewelry in a matter of minutes, a heist that exposed weaknesses in the security system.
