President and general manager of leading Marseille art institution Mucem suspended amid workplace allegations

Pierre-Olivier Costa, president of Marseille’s Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (Mucem), and general manager Véronique Haché have been suspended following workplace unrest and allegations of sexual and moral harassment against Costa, which he denies. French culture minister Catherine Pégard announced Costa’s departure on 30 June, citing the need to restore trust and social dialogue, and named Anne-Marie Le Guével of the General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs (IGAC) as interim president; Le Guével then informed staff that Haché was also suspended. The IGAC audit began in March and followed staff actions including a June 2024 strike and an open letter signed by about two-thirds of staff denouncing “toxic management.” A preliminary criminal investigation was opened in March after allegations were forwarded to prosecutors, and Costa’s lawyer Marie Geoffroy said he has filed a complaint for “malicious accusation” against the employee who made the claims.

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