Paris pushes for second-home tax hike to tackle population drain

Authorities in French capital also want more affordable housing for working- and middle-class families

Paris authorities have proposed to combat the population drain from the French capital by pushing for higher taxes on second-home owners and introducing more affordable social housing for working- and middle-class families.

The city's population has dropped by more than 123,000 in the last decade, with many leaving in search of cheaper housing and green spaces, according to official figures. France's statistics agency, Insee, says Paris is losing about 12,400 people a year and the city population - now at about 2.1 million - is at its lowest for 20 years.