Controversy in Europe: Will Palestinian flags be allowed at Eurovision 2025? Is this an official green light—or a far-reaching interpretation? All the details inside.

A wave of controversy has erupted online and in the media over the possibility that the Palestinian flag might be allowed inside the Eurovision 2025 venue. According to a report by the Danish national broadcaster, DR, which claims to have reviewed internal documents outlining the contest’s updated flag policy, audiences may now be permitted to bring both pride flags and Palestinian flags into the hall—despite the ban imposed last year.

The report, which has not been confirmed by any official sources other than the Danish national broadcaster, clarifies a significant distinction between the leniencies granted to the audience and the stricter regulations applied to participating delegations. The central caveat: any differing interpretation of the document’s content may be misleading—so the information should be treated with caution.

New Guidelines: Interpretation or Real-World Policy?

According to the document leaked to the Danish national broadcaster, the contest organizers emphasize the need to avoid political statements. Still, “Switzerland—the host country—places high value on freedom of expression.” According to the interpretation presented by DR, audience members may bring any flag into the hall as long as it does not violate Swiss law.

The policy explicitly states:
“All flags and banners that do not pose a risk to safety or production are permitted, except those prohibited by Swiss law.”

The interpretation, according to the Danish national broadcaster, suggests that the Palestinian flag may now be included among the permitted flags this year—unlike in 2024, when the flag was explicitly banned due to Israel’s participation and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Clear and Strict Rules for Participants

For the 37 participating countries, however, the rules are much stricter. According to the updated policy: “Delegates may only appear with their own official national flag at any official Eurovision event or performance, including the Opening Ceremony, the Eurovision Village stage, the Main Stage, and the Green Room.”

As a result, Denmark’s representative Sissal—originally born in the Faroe Islands, a Danish territory—will not be allowed to bring her homeland’s flag on stage at the world’s biggest music event.

Additionally, the policy states: “During the flag parade, only one official flag provided by SRG SSR (Swiss national broadcaster) may be carried.”

This means pride flags, unofficial emblems, and solidarity banners—including the Ukrainian flag—are not permitted on stage, even when intended as a personal or symbolic gesture.

What Happens If the Rules Are Broken?

The policy outlines severe consequences for anyone—audience member or delegation—who breaks the rules: “Persons who do not comply with this policy may be refused entry or removed from the venue without a refund. Non-compliant flags may be confiscated. Delegations may also face additional consequences according to EBU regulations.”

However, when the Danish national broadcaster asked for clarification on what those “additional consequences” might be, officials from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) declined to specify.

In a written statement, the EBU said: “Although there are sanctions for breaches of the rules, we expect all delegations to approach the flag policy in good faith, understanding that it is designed to create clarity and balance between expressions of national and individual identity.”

This Isn’t the First Time: Past Incidents with Flags

Unauthorized flag usage is not new to Eurovision’s long history. For example:

• In 2016, the Armenian representative received a reprimand after raising the flag of Nagorno-Karabakh—a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
• In 2019, the Icelandic band Hatari held up a scarf featuring the Palestinian flag in the arena, leading to a large fine for the Icelandic national broadcaster.
• In 2000, the Israeli group Ping Pong waved both the Syrian and Israeli flags during their final performance. According to the band, the act was meant to promote peace—but it sparked outrage across the Israeli political spectrum.
• This year, during the final performance of Finland’s representative Erika Vikman at the Finnish national selection, a Palestinian flag was seen in the audience. When the video was uploaded to the Eurovision YouTube channel, the footage used was from the jury rehearsal instead—where no Palestinian flag appeared. No official explanation was provided.

Interpretation, Not Confirmation: Handle with Care

It is essential to clarify that all the information in this article is based solely on the Danish national broadcaster’s report—and has not been verified or approved by any other sources. Therefore, the report should be regarded as speculative rather than official. The claims that the Palestinian flag may be allowed this year are purely the Danish national broadcaster’s interpretation. There has been no confirmation of this from any official Eurovision authorities.

Given that such a move could ignite considerable political uproar, the likelihood of it being officially approved—even if the new policy leaves a theoretical opening—is considered extremely low, bordering on impossible.

Eurovision 2025: Dates and Time

The Eurovision Song Contest for 2025 will take place in May, as per tradition. Here are the exact dates:

• First Semi-Final: Tuesday, May 13th, 2025

• Second Semi-Final: Thursday, May 15th, 2025

• Grand Final: Saturday, May 17th, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Source: YouTube.

Eurovision 2025: This will be Switzerland’s 65th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland joined the competition in 1956, being one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Its most recent victory was at the last Eurovision in 2025, with Nemo’s song “The Code.” This win follows Switzerland’s previous victory in 1988 with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi,” performed by international singer Céline Dion.