Eurovision in crisis: Which additional country is threatening to withdraw from Eurovision 2026, and what is the reason for these threats? Three countries have so far threatened to leave the contest.

San Marino, the small nation that sent Gabry Ponte with the song “Tutta L’Italia” to Eurovision 2025, is seriously considering withdrawing from next year’s contest. The CEO of the San Marino national broadcaster SMRTV, Roberto Sergio, expressed deep frustration in an interview with local media over the lack of transparency in both the public and jury voting. Sergio did not hide his anger:

“The situation is not clear to us at all. There is a lack of transparency in the public voting, the jury, and the results. Under these conditions, we are seriously considering not participating in Eurovision in the coming years”.

San Marino’s threat joins criticism from other national broadcasters such as VRT from Belgium and RTVSLO from Slovenia, which are also demanding changes to the voting system and threatening to withdraw. While Belgium and Slovenia are dissatisfied with Israel’s first place in the public vote and claim a lack of transparency in the voting data, San Marino emphasizes that their main concern is a voting system that, in their view, disproportionately disadvantages small countries. According to officials at the national broadcasters, this is a severe crisis of trust that should prompt significant changes to the contest.

Background, Quotes, and Personal Perspective

About two weeks ago, on May 31st, we published an extensive article on San Marino’s sharp criticism of the Eurovision voting system. At that time, SMRTV CEO Roberto Sergio was quoted as saying:

“The system does not work – the public vote is not necessarily related to the song itself. On one hand, there are zeros, and on the other, there are high numbers that are not given based on performance quality, but for all sorts of strange reasons”.

Tourism Minister Federico Pedini Amati added:

“We are not willing to continue being punished just because we are a small country. We bring top-tier artists – and we are a country like any other”.

Professional Analysis: Is Reform Needed?

The excitement surrounding San Marino’s performances in recent years has been evident, even as results have not always reflected the quality of their entries. In my view, San Marino sent an excellent song this year, and it’s clear to everyone that it would have achieved greater success had it been sent by Italy. This year, San Marino finished last and received unfair treatment.

Small countries such as San Marino, Luxembourg, Andorra, and Monaco have not achieved significant success in recent decades. It is also worth noting that San Marino’s “public points” are not determined solely by its residents. Due to San Marino’s tiny size, its public vote is calculated using an algorithm that aggregates data from countries with similar characteristics, though their identities are not disclosed. Eurovision rules do require transparency, but in practice, small countries struggle to influence the contest’s results.

Is Eurovision Headed for Reform?

The storm over the Eurovision 2025 voting system is not limited to San Marino – it raises questions about the future of the entire contest. In recent years, calls for reform have intensified, especially from smaller countries that feel they have no real chance to win.

The debate does not end with San Marino: many countries are demanding an “explanation” for Israel’s first place in the public vote, and some are even calling to reduce the public’s power or limit the number of votes. Interestingly, in previous years, these same countries advocated for strengthening the public’s influence, believing it unfair for a small group of jurors to have the same impact as tens of millions of voters.

The current turmoil raises questions about the future of the contest – does Eurovision need reform to ensure equal opportunities? Is the competition truly about music, or is it influenced by political and social factors?