Eurovision Controversy: Finland and Iceland Also Question Voting in Eurovision 2025

Eurovision Controversy: Finland and Iceland Also Question Voting in Eurovision 2025

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: Finland and Iceland express doubts about the public vote, where Israel won with a big majority Following criticism from the national broadcasters of Spain and Belgium, Finland and Iceland have now joined the list of countries calling for a renewed examination of the Eurovision voting system. This marks another development in the growing wave of criticism following the results of Eurovision 2025, with countries taking a critical stance toward Israel questioning the transparency and reliability of the current voting process. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland Seeks Change—But Proceeds with Caution The chief entertainment producer of the Finnish national broadcaster Yle, Juha Lahti, confirmed that Finland will raise the issue of voting with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). According to him, this has been a subject of ongoing discussion in Finland. Lahti clarified: “We will ask the EBU to consider whether it is time to update the rules, or at least to examine if...
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The Netherlands Joins Call for Discussion on Israel’s Participation in Eurovision

The Netherlands Joins Call for Discussion on Israel’s Participation in Eurovision

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ongoing debate: The Netherlands has joined calls for a discussion on Israel’s participation in Eurovision. Will this move prompt an official response from the European Broadcasting Union? The controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025 continues, with the Netherlands now joining the list of countries calling for a thorough and meaningful discussion on the issue. The Dutch national broadcasters, AVROTROS and NPO, released a joint statement requesting that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) hold an organized and official dialogue regarding the role and nature of Eurovision, given the growing political influences on the contest. In their joint statement, the broadcasters wrote: “AVROTROS and NPO attach great importance to the apolitical and unifying value of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we observe that the event is increasingly affected by social and geopolitical pressures. Israel’s participation raises the question—to what extent does Eurovision still function as a cultural, unifying, and apolitical event? We wish to raise this question, together with...
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Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Voting Revealed: Which Country Won the Most Italian Votes?

Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Voting Revealed: Which Country Won the Most Italian Votes?

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Italy at Eurovision 2025: A detailed look at Italian public voting in Eurovision 2025, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at audience preferences and how they differed from the overall contest results. The Italian national broadcaster, RAI, has published the full breakdown of the Italian public’s vote in Eurovision 2025, including precise data from both the first semi-final - where Italy participated as a voting country - and the grand final. This move towards transparency reveals which countries managed to captivate Italian viewers and highlights the significant differences between local preferences and the overall contest results. The country that received the most love from Italians, both in the semi-final and the final, was San Marino, represented by Gabry Ponte with the song "Tutta l’Italia". The fast-paced, catchy song, blending contemporary pop with a nod to Italian culture, garnered 54.65% of Italian votes in the semi-final - more than half of all votes - and no less than 34.16% in the...
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Belgian Broadcasters Seek Greater Transparency from EBU Regarding Eurovision Voting

Belgian Broadcasters Seek Greater Transparency from EBU Regarding Eurovision Voting

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025: Belgium’s major national broadcasters and the ruling party are calling for increased transparency from the European Broadcasting Union, raising questions about the voting process and participation in the contest. For the first time since the media storm erupted in Belgium over the public vote at Eurovision 2025, the French-speaking national broadcaster RTBF has broken its silence—publicly supporting the Flemish broadcaster VRT’s demand for full transparency from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In measured yet unequivocal language, the broadcaster clarified: “In light of ongoing discussions regarding the voting system, RTBF supports the need to ensure the highest levels of transparency.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Alternating Responsibility: The Link Between VRT and RTBF Unlike most European countries, Belgium is divided between two public national broadcasters by language region: VRT is responsible for the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) region, while RTBF covers the French-speaking area. Responsibility for Belgium’s participation in Eurovision alternates between them—one year under VRT, the...
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Marko Bošnjak Attacks: “Israel Must Be Banned from Eurovision—Period”

Marko Bošnjak Attacks: “Israel Must Be Banned from Eurovision—Period”

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Croatia at Eurovision 2025: A true "Poison Cake"—after his embarrassing elimination, Croatia’s representative lashes out at Israel, Ukraine, and reveals what he really thinks about Eurovision. Marko Bošnjak, who was chosen to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2025 with the song "Poison Cake", appears unwilling to accept his failure to qualify for the final. Just days after the contest’s conclusion—having finished only 12th out of 15 in the first semi-final with 28 points—the singer posted a lengthy and emotional Instagram story, venting his frustration, expressing controversial opinions, and directly attacking Israel’s participation in the contest. The video was released days after Eurovision ended, at a time when participants are no longer bound by the code of conduct they signed at the beginning of the process. Bošnjak used this opportunity to publish particularly harsh stories, voicing strong political views, dismissing the spirit of the competition, and employing especially blunt language. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I Have Only Love for Ukraine, But...
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Eurovision Director Responds to Criticism in Spain: “Our System Is the Most Advanced in the World”

Eurovision Director Responds to Criticism in Spain: “Our System Is the Most Advanced in the World”

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Following the Spanish national broadcaster’s inquiry about voting for Israel, the Eurovision director delivers a clear response defending the integrity of the voting process without leaving room for interpretation Just days after the conclusion of the Eurovision 2025 grand final in Basel, where Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael secured second place and first in the public vote, a controversy arose in Spain regarding the local voting results. The Spanish national broadcaster RTVE approached the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) demanding transparency on how the Spanish public vote was allocated, as Spain awarded Israel the full 12 points for the second consecutive year—a result that sparked public and political criticism. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU’s Response to Spain’s Allegations Following the official inquiry from the Spanish national broadcaster, Martin Green, Eurovision’s executive supervisor, responded directly. In statements given to the news agency EFE and shared with the press, he rejected insinuations of manipulation or problems with the voting system and...
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Eurovision 2025 Grand Final: European Viewership Figures Revealed

Eurovision 2025 Grand Final: European Viewership Figures Revealed

by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025 broke records, surprised Europe, and delivered historic moments. What happened in Spain, Germany, Greece, and elsewhere, and which record was shattered during this dramatic final? The Eurovision 2025 Grand Final, held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17, 2025, delivered not only dramatic musical moments but also exceptionally impressive viewership figures from numerous countries. What happened across Europe, and what does the complete viewership map look like? All the data is presented below. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel: Historic Record-Breaking Figures – For Yuval According to data from the public broadcaster Kan 11, no fewer than 939,000 people in Israel watched the Eurovision Grand Final-a remarkable figure representing a 32.6% rating, the highest among all channels that day and by a significant margin over competitors. However, the highlight came during the performance of Yuval Raphael-Israel's representative in the contest. At that very moment, a peak viewership of 51.3% was recorded. In other words, more than...
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“I Will Not Return to Eurovision”: Erika Vikman Criticizes Public Voting for Israel

“I Will Not Return to Eurovision”: Erika Vikman Criticizes Public Voting for Israel

by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland in Eurovision 2025: Erika Vikman vents frustration-criticizing the public vote for Israel, the media, and addressing whether she plans to return to Eurovision. In an interview stirring both Finnish and international media, Erika Vikman, Finland's representative for Eurovision 2025 with the song "Ich Komme," who finished 11th in the grand final with 196 points, publicly addressed the results of the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland-particularly the significant number of votes received by Israel's representative. In an interview conducted upon her return to Helsinki, Vikman did not hold back, expressing clear frustration with the outcome, including personal criticism toward the media and the Israeli audience. Vikman landed at Helsinki airport late Sunday night, where journalists and local media representatives awaited her. According to her, the feelings were mixed: "I feel grateful and relieved," Vikman described her mood. She added that she had hoped for a higher placement in the final: "Of course, it was disappointing that we didn't even make it...
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Eurovision 2026 in Austria: All the First Details Revealed

Eurovision 2026 in Austria: All the First Details Revealed

by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria at Eurovision: Austria prepares to host Eurovision after winning in 2025-find out which city will host, the expected dates, and which countries have already confirmed participation. After the victory of singer JJ with the song "Wasted Love" in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final held in Basel, Switzerland-a win that marked Austria’s third-ever triumph in the contest-the country is preparing to host the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. While the exact location and final date have yet to be announced, several important details about Eurovision 2026 are already known. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); When Will Eurovision 2026 Take Place? Eurovision is expected to be held in May 2026, as is tradition each year. However, as of now, no official dates have been published for any of the stages. According to tradition, the contest will consist of three main evenings: First Semi-Final – Tuesday, 22:00 (Israel time) Second Semi-Final – Thursday, 22:00 Grand Final –...
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Austria: The Eurovision 2026 Representative Will Be Selected Internally!

Austria: The Eurovision 2026 Representative Will Be Selected Internally!

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria at Eurovision: As 2025 winner JJ processes his victory, Austria is gearing up for Eurovision 2026 and announces an internal selection for its next representative. Just hours after singer JJ triumphed in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final with "Wasted Love," Austria is still absorbing its third win in the contest’s history. Now, the selection method for the country’s Eurovision 2026 representative has been revealed. According to an official announcement broadcast by the Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, Austria will once again choose its entrant through an internal selection process, similar to recent years-but with an interesting twist. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria’s Selection: Internal Process with a Twist In a recent interview on Austria’s public channel, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, the content director, confirmed that Austria will again use an internal selection model, but this time will also allow for an open submission phase. This means that songwriters, composers, singers, and producers will be able to submit entries. Following...
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