Does Macron intend to charge rent to real estate owners?

Last week the rumor that French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron intends to charge rent to real estate owners, resurfaced on the Cyceon website. However, this proposal is not included in Macron’s economic program.

This false information was initially diffused on February 23rd by the parody site BuzzBeed, an unreliable site known to be managed by extreme right militants.

On March 16^th the rumor was mentioned again by Cyceon. This network, which “studies economic, strategic and geopolitical trends” across the world, affirms that “the real estate owners could be taxed an ownership tax based on the rental value of their permanent residence”. The author insists that “this article is not a hoax, since this article was published with concordant and reliable sources that help convince us of the possible reality of this proposal should Emmanuel Macron be elected”. Yet, contacted by Les Decodeurs (partners of the CrossCheck project), Cyceon’s administrators refused to comment.

This idea is part of four proposals for taxation housing reforms defended by the think tank France Stratégie, whose ex-general commissioner, Jean Pisany-Ferry, joined Macron’s team in January. France Stratégie – a think tank linked to the Prime Minister – disapproves “housing taxation supporting the status of owner occupier,” and judges that a tax on owners based on their housing rental value could change that, although it would then imply removing the property tax. The objective: to support geographical mobility and access to property ownership for younger generations.

However, Emmanuel Macron’s program does not mention this proposal.