**France Denies Allegations of Interfering in Romanian Presidential Elections**
The French Foreign Ministry has rejected claims by Telegram CEO Pavel Durov that the country was trying to restrict “conservative voices” in Romania ahead of a key presidential vote. The allegations were made on May 18, just days before the election.
Durov, a Russian-born businessman who also holds French and Emirati citizenship, claimed that a Western European government had asked Telegram to silence conservative voices in Romania. He identified the country as France using a baguette emoji. However, he later said that he had refused this request and did not restrict Romanian users or political channels.
The exchange occurred just before the pro-EU mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, was elected Romanian president, defeating hard-right Eurosceptic George Simion. Durov is currently under investigation in France for criminal activity on his messaging app.
**France Reacts**
The French Foreign Ministry responded to the allegations by saying that they were “categorically rejected” and called on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy. The ministry also urged all Romanian political actors to defend democracy.
**Background of Election Interference Allegations**
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. This was due to a massive foreign interference 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.
**Growing Rift Between U.S. and EU**
The clash over election interference allegations has highlighted the growing political and ideological rift between the U.S. under President Donald Trump and the EU. 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.
**Commentary**
The allegations made by Durov are likely to fuel tensions between France and Romania, as well as between the U.S. and EU over election interference concerns. The French government’s denial of these allegations suggests that they take the issue seriously and want to ensure that Romanian democracy is respected.
As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of election interference, it is essential for governments and social media companies to work together to prevent such incidents in the future.
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