The EBU rejected Norway’s request to access national voting data amid growing controversy over Israel’s public vote success in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final.

Norway demands, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) refuses – and once again, Israel finds itself at the center of a growing dispute. In the weeks following Israel’s dramatic public vote victory in Eurovision 2025 – despite not winning the contest overall – calls in Norway have intensified for an investigation into the “validity” of the public vote. However, this concern seems to appear only when the controversy involves Israel.

Why Is Norway Suddenly Interested in a Vote Review?

The Norwegian national broadcaster, NRK, is now requesting access to the raw voting data of its viewers, alleging that a “coordinated campaign” may have influenced votes in favor of Israel. Yet the EBU has firmly rejected the request, citing the risk of exposing system vulnerabilities that could lead to future manipulation.

Is this a call for legitimate transparency – or a reactive move in light of the unexpected success of a country outside the favored inner circle? NRK did not make similar demands in previous years, even when other countries received surprising levels of public support. Only when Israel rose to the top – transparency suddenly became a threat to the “spirit of the contest.”

The Rules Didn’t Change – But Attitudes Toward Israel Did

Somewhat ironically, NRK has acknowledged that Israel did not break any rules. The EBU confirmed this explicitly – no violations occurred. Still, instead of acknowledging Yuval Raphael’s success and the organic support she received from fans across Europe, Norway chose to cast doubt on the public vote outcome.

In a public statement, Mads Tørklep, Head of the Norwegian Delegation, admitted he had requested to review the Norwegian votes in order to conduct an “independent assessment.” Yet he failed to explain why similar demands were never made in cases where other countries enjoyed strong public backing. This selective approach raises serious questions, even among European journalists and contest experts.

Public Opinion vs. Procedural Reality

The EBU maintains that the voting system is robust, secure, and not susceptible to tampering. Its refusal to release detailed voting data was not based on any suspicion toward Israel – but on the need to preserve the integrity of the system and avoid exposing it to future exploitation.

Nevertheless, Norway continues to label the situation “problematic,” despite the fact that no precedent exists for a single country being granted access to such internal data. Nor is there any valid reason to assume that votes for Israel were invalid, especially given that campaigns encouraging voting have become a routine part of the Eurovision landscape – whether promoted by governments, embassies, or independent fan communities.

Not the First Time – But a Familiar Pattern

Longtime Eurovision viewers know this isn’t the first time a country has mobilized emotional, transnational public support. Similar cases include Ukraine in 2022 or Russia in 2016. Yet, unlike those instances, Israel seems to always be met with a different tone – especially when it succeeds.

Within the EuroMix community, which includes tens of thousands of Eurovision fans in Israel and abroad, there’s growing frustration with NRK’s selective moralism. In recent discussions we held with readers, many expressed frustration at “the recurring search for conspiracy only when the outcome displeases certain voices.”

Looking Ahead: What Should Really Be Examined?

There’s no doubt that the voting structure warrants renewed examination – particularly in an age where it’s relatively easy to bypass the 20-vote-per-person limit using multiple devices, prepaid cards, or proxies. But if there’s going to be scrutiny – it must be universal. Not only when Israel wins.

If Norway is truly committed to a transparent contest, it should advocate for full data disclosure – from all countries, across all years. A sudden “moral awakening” shouldn’t be used to target one country alone.

Israel at Eurovision 2025

“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “The Next Star.” Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 436 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five—an unprecedented achievement.

Eurovision 2025: The 69th Eurovision Song Contest was held in the city of Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15, and 17. This marked the third time Switzerland hosted the contest, with the previous occasion being in 1989 in Lausanne. The venue for the event was St. Jakobshalle, which has a capacity of 12,400 seats. It was the first time that Basel served as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest.