Catherine Pégard becomes France's new culture minister after Rachida Dati's resignation

The Élysée Palace announced on February 26 a reshuffle of Sébastien Lecornu's cabinet. The most significant change was the appointment of Catherine Pégard as Minister of Culture following the resignation of Rachida Dati, who stepped down a day earlier to campaign ahead of the municipal elections in Paris. According to most reports, Pégard, the long-time head of the Palace of Versailles and a cultural advisor at the Élysée, is expected to bring to the ministry a network of contacts and experience in managing a large-scale institution. Simultaneously, the entry into the government of Sabrina Agresti-Roubache as Minister Delegate for Vocational Training and the delegated ministry for apprenticeship was announced, along with the appointments of Camille Galliard-Minier (autonomy and persons with disabilities) and Jean-Didier Berger under the Minister of the Interior. Maud Brégeon, while remaining government spokesperson, additionally received responsibility for energy. In the background of the decision also appears the reserve period, which according to some sources hampered the swift finalization of personnel changes. Key dates around the reshuffle and the Louvre crisis: October 19, 2025 — Theft at the Louvre; February 25, 2026 — Resignation of Rachida Dati; February 25, 2026 — New head of the Louvre; February 26, 2026 — Announcement of government changes The French Ministry of Culture was established in 1959 when General Charles de Gaulle entrusted André Malraux with the task of conducting a coherent state cultural policy. The Louvre has operated as a public museum since 1793, and its significance has long extended beyond its role as an exhibition institution, becoming a symbol of state "soft power". Dati in interviews linked her resignation to the fight for city hall and signaled the president's support, which was amplified by media covering the campaign in the capital. „Je suis la candidate à la mairie de Paris soutenue par Emmanuel Macron, de manière très amicale et aussi politiquement.” (I am the candidate for mayor of Paris supported by Emmanuel Macron, in a very friendly and also political manner.) — Rachida Dati Assessments of her two-year work in culture remain divergent: some editorial teams emphasized political efficiency and the ministry's visibility, while others highlighted tensions with parts of the cultural community and the lack of a breakthrough in disputes over public media and major institutions. Several reports repeated the theme of budgetary constraints in the budget bill for 2026. 200 mln euro — culture budget cut Amounts cited in the context of the crisis: Culture budget cut for 2026: 200, Theft of jewels at the Louvre: 88, Alleged ticket fraud: 10 Simultaneously, many articles linked the change at the ministry to the crisis at the Louvre following the jewel theft and further reports of ticket abuses. Reuters reported on the appointment of the Louvre's new director, Christophe Leribault, who is to streamline the museum's operations. Other editorial teams pointed out that the chaos surrounding the institution calls into question the costly modernization plan, including the reorganization of tourist flow and exhibitions.

Perspektywy mediów: Some media emphasized the budget cuts and the Louvre crisis as a failure for Dati. Other reports highlighted her energy and political effectiveness, describing her resignation as a logical campaign move.