Telegram’s Founder Defies Censorship Demands Ahead of Romanian Election—’No’ Means No

Pavel Durov draws a hard line in the digital sand as political pressure mounts. The Telegram CEO’s refusal to filter content sparks debate on free speech versus election integrity—while investors wonder if this’ll hurt the platform’s valuation (or just its ad revenue).

No waffling, no corporate doublespeak—just a single-word rebuttal to government requests. Meanwhile, crypto channels on the platform keep pumping shitcoins like there’s no tomorrow.

Allegations of interference against France

In his post, Durov did not explicitly name the country that asked for the censorship. However, he hinted at it with a baguette emoji, understandably pointing to France. Durov wrote:

“You can’t “defend democracy” by destroying democracy. You can’t “fight election interference” by interfering with elections. You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don’t. And the Romanian people deserve both.”

According to a BBC report, however, France claimed that the allegations of interference were “completely unfounded.” This prompted Durov to openly name France and its representative who placed the request.

In a later X post, Durov stated that he met with Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon. At the meeting, Lerner asked Durov to “ban” conservative political content on Telegram ahead of the Romanian elections.

Durov added that Telegram did not impinge on the rights of protestors in Russia, Belarus, or Iran, and “won’t start doing it in Europe.”

After Dan’s victory, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron, in an X post, announced that he had called and congratulated Dan, but did not deny that attempts to manipulate the election results had existed. While pledging France’s support, Macron wrote:

“Despite numerous attempts at manipulation, Romanians tonight chose democracy, the rule of law, and the European Union.”

Durov gained limelight after his arrest in France last year

After French authorities arrested Durov in August 2024, he gained prominence in the crypto community that valued his stance on free speech, privacy, and individual liberties. French prosecutors charged Durov with being complicit in the facilitation of crimes like child pornography and drug trafficking through Telegram.

The crypto community condemned the arrest in an open letter and accused the French government of violating human rights. The next day, Durov was granted a €5 million bail and placed under judicial supervision. In March, a French court granted Durov’s request to modify his bail conditions, allowing him several weeks of leave to visit Dubai.