France denies asking Telegram to censor Romanian conservatives

Pavel Durov, founder of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, has accused France’s top intelligence chief of attempting to interfere in Romania’s elections by pressuring him to suppress conservative voices. Durov claims he refused the request, reigniting debate over free speech, digital sovereignty, and political censorship in Europe.

The Russian-born tech entrepreneur, currently under judicial supervision in France, stated that Nicolas Lerner, the head of the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), approached him earlier this spring at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. ‘Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused,’ Durov posted on the social platform X, formerly Twitter.

Durov emphasised that Telegram has maintained a consistent policy against censorship, even in politically sensitive environments. ‘We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe,’ he wrote.

His claims surfaced shortly after Romania’s mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, won the presidential election in a surprise victory over George Simion.

The outcome of the Romanian election has been welcomed in Brussels, where officials remain wary of rising far-right sentiment across the continent. A shift toward nationalist politics, they fear, could complicate Europe’s response to geopolitical issues such as migration and its stance on Russia.

In response to Durov’s allegations, France’s DGSE acknowledged having met with him ‘various times over the years’ to discuss Telegram’s obligations related to preventing terrorism and child exploitation. However, the agency ‘vigorously refutes the allegations that requests to ban accounts related to any electoral process were made on these occasions.’

The French foreign ministry also denied any interference, urging public figures to act with ‘responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy.’