French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot states that France firmly opposed efforts to boycott Israel at Eurovision 2026.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot celebrated on Twitter the decision allowing Israel to remain in Eurovision 2026, using the platform to issue a sharp condemnation of the boycott movement. In his statement, he revealed that the French national broadcaster France Télévisions not only voted in favour of the rule reform – effectively backing Israel’s participation – but also played a significant role in the decision to prevent the boycott from going ahead. This position had previously been articulated by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, who had already stated clearly that he opposed any boycott.
In his remarks, Barrot declared that France “will never choose the path of boycotting peoples and artists.” He stressed that “through culture we learn to understand one another and encounter the only truly universal thing – humanity. Is there any better way to build peace?” Barrot criticised the countries that decided to withdraw from the contest and thanked those that “withstood the pressure,” emphasising the central role France played in blocking the boycott.
Barrot went on to condemn supporters of the boycott, describing such a boycott as an act of “ignorance and obscurantism” promoted in supposedly intellectual circles, such as universities. He expressed shock at the idea that, at some point, there could even be calls to boycott the books of David Grossman, the films of Amos Gitai or performances by Avishai Cohen and Daniel Barenboim. Finally, Barrot urged European countries to separate culture from political disagreement: “Let cinema, music and poetry bring us together; do not let the brutalisation of the world drive us apart. Resist it, and use the weapon of the spirit.”
The disclosure of France’s involvement in last night’s vote sheds light on some of the power dynamics behind the large pro-Israel majority that was ultimately achieved. Two members of the “Big Five” actively worked in favour of Israel’s participation, alongside the host country, creating a combined force that left Spain and its supporters with virtually no realistic chance of controlling the narrative or securing a majority.
Non au boycott d’Israël au concours de l’Eurovision.
Jamais la France ne s’engagera dans la voie du boycott d’un peuple, de ses artistes ou de ses intellectuels. Tout s’y oppose dans l’âme et la tradition de notre pays, celle de l’humanisme des Lumières : par la culture, chacun…
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) December 5, 2025
France at Eurovision 2025
“maman” (in English: “Mom”) is the title of the song to be performed by the singer, Louane, who represented France at Eurovision 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. France finished seventh in the final with 230 points. France was ranked third by the judges, but the young singer received only 14th place from the public vote. The seventh place overall was considered low compared to France’s pre-contest odds, where it was ranked third.
This marks the second consecutive year that France has finished in the top 10 at the Eurovision final.
Eurovision 2026: This will be France’s 67th participation in Eurovision. France joined the competition in 1956 and has won it five times over the years. France’s last victory was in Eurovision 1977 with the song “L’Oiseau et l’Enfant” performed by singer Marie Myriam.
