France rejects Telegram CEO's accusations of Romanian election meddling

The French Foreign Ministry on May 18 refuted insinuations by Telegram CEO Pavel Durov that Paris sought to restrict "conservative voices" in Romania ahead of a key presidential vote.

Durov, the Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app who also holds French and Emirati citizenship, claimed that a "Western European government" requested the company to "silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today's presidential elections."

The businessman identified the Western European country only with a baguette emoji, apparently referring to France.

The exchange came shortly before the pro-EU mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, was elected Romanian president, defeating hard-right Eurosceptic George Simion with a lead of seven percentage points.

"You can’t 'fight election interference' by interfering with elections," Durov said on Telegram, claiming he had "flatly refused" France's alleged request and did not restrict Romanian users or political channels.

Durov is currently under investigation in France for criminal activity on his messaging app.

"France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy," the French Foreign Ministry reacted on X.

"France calls on all Romanian political actors to exercise responsibility and defend democracy."

Accusations of election interference have accompanied the Romanian presidential election since November 2024, when the country's Constitutional Court annulled the results and ordered a re-run.

The step came after Romanian intelligence agencies pointed to a massive foreign interference and a campaign on TikTok designed to boost pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu. Georgescu, who won the most votes in the first annulled round, was later banned from running again in May amid charges of activities "against the constitutional order" and other legal concerns.

Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians, who has been banned from Ukraine, then became the leading right-wing candidate instead of Georgescu.

"In this context, the recent accusations against France are merely a diversionary maneuver from the real threats of interference targeting Romania," the French government said.

Various right-wing voices, including senior members of the Trump administration, have criticized the annulment of the original vote and a ban on Georgescu's candidacy, presenting it as an attack on democracy.

The clash has underscored the growing political and ideological rift between the U.S. under President Donald Trump and the EU.