Slovenia, consistently opposing Israel’s participation, officially announced it may withdraw from Eurovision 2026, citing political tensions and concerns about voting transparency.
The Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO declared during a EBU conference that it would withdraw from the competition if Israel continues to participate. The statement follows growing criticism of Israel due to the war in Gaza, along with allegations of insufficient transparency in the Eurovision voting process.
Slovenia’s Withdrawal Threat: “The Union Ignores Us”
At the July conference in London, Slovenian broadcaster representatives stated:
“If Israel takes part in the Eurovision Song Contest – because of the ‘genocide in Gaza’ – Slovenia will not participate in the event”.
This stance reflects a long-standing policy of RTVSLO’s management. In previous months, the broadcaster already expressed reservations about continuing collaboration with Israel in the contest.
RTVSLO’s director Ksenija Horvat reinforced this message in media interviews. According to her, the EBU has not provided adequate answers regarding Israel. In a strongly worded letter published at the end of May, she wrote:
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened significantly, and the public in Slovenia and across Europe demands a clear response regarding Israel’s continued status in the competition”.
Final Decision Expected by December
In addition to the political implications, RTVSLO raised objections concerning the integrity of the Eurovision 2025 voting process. Israel finished first in the public vote and second overall – while Slovenia failed to qualify for the final. Horvat argued that many viewers across different countries questioned the legitimacy of the results, particularly due to the political context of the past year.
In its official statement, RTVSLO stressed that the final decision on Slovenia’s participation in Eurovision 2026 would be made following approval of the broadcaster’s annual program:
“If we do not receive a clear response from the EBU regarding Israel’s participation and the credibility of the voting process, we will seriously consider withdrawing”.
EBU’s Response and Extended Deadline
The EBU, in turn, extended the deadline for confirming participating countries until mid-December. Eurovision’s executive supervisor, Martin Green, emphasized:
“We are in close contact with broadcasters across Europe to ensure a transparent competition. The deadline was postponed to allow all countries to make informed decisions”.
As of now, 26 countries have already confirmed their participation in the contest, including Israel.
Slovenia at Eurovision 2025
“How Much Time Do We Have Left” is the title of the song performed by singer Klemen in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025. Slovenia failed to qualify for the grand final, after two consecutive years of success. The country finished 13th out of 15, earning only 23 points.
Eurovision 2025: This was Slovenia’s 30th participation in Eurovision. Slovenia joined the competition in 1993 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1995 and Eurovision 2001 after finishing seventh twice.
