Sofia Vossou speaks out against calls to boycott Israel, stressing that Eurovision must remain a celebration of music rather than a platform for political struggles.
Amid growing calls in Greece to boycott Eurovision 2026 due to Israel’s participation, a clear and contrasting voice is emerging from within the Eurovision world itself. Greek singer Sofia Vossou, who represented Greece at Eurovision 1991 with the song “I Anixi” (In English: “Spring”), has expressed firm opposition to turning the contest into a stage for political confrontation.
“Eurovision Must Remain a Music Competition”
In an interview with the Greek television program “Hamogela kai Pali”, Vossou made it clear that, in her view, boycotting a country in a music competition is fundamentally misguided. She emphasized that the essence of Eurovision lies in artistic expression, creativity, and cultural connection, not political considerations. According to her, transforming the contest into a political battleground undermines its core values. She added that throughout its history, Eurovision was designed to unite audiences through music, even during difficult and complex times.
Referring to the decision by the EBU to allow Israel to participate in the upcoming contest in Vienna, the singer noted that it is wrong to punish an entire nation or its citizens for governmental policies or historical events. In her words, assigning collective responsibility distorts reality and ultimately harms the artists themselves, who are not parties to political disputes. This position aligns with other voices in the cultural and Eurovision communities who argue that political boycotts are not the right tool, and that preserving an open cultural space may instead encourage dialogue and understanding.
A Call to Protect the Values of the Contest
According to Vossou, Eurovision must remain a space for culture, music, and coexistence, free from boycotts and political agendas. In her view, this is an essential condition for preserving the credibility and uniqueness of one of the world’s largest and most beloved music competitions. The words of the former Greek representative reinforce the stance that Eurovision 2026 should remain a purely musical contest, one that allows artists and countries to meet on a shared stage, even when the international backdrop is complex.
These remarks come against the backdrop of growing calls in Greece to boycott the competition due to Israel’s participation. A group of members from the Greek left-wing party Syriza, including Rena Dourou, submitted a parliamentary inquiry earlier this month to government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, requesting clarification on the government’s position regarding the contest and Israel’s participation.
The inquiry raised three main points: why Greece is not withdrawing from the competition like five other countries that announced their withdrawal, whether the government accepts the position that Israel’s participation is conducted transparently and neutrally, and how consistency is maintained in the contest’s rules, given that Israel was not excluded while Russia was removed in 2022. Despite these questions, the Greek national broadcaster ultimately sided with Israel during the vote held in Switzerland. Moreover, the broadcaster attended the conference with a reinforced delegation, including the chair of the board and the CEO, in order to express its support.
Greece at Eurovision 2025
“Asteromáta” (translated as: “Eyes of Stars”) is the song performed by Klavdia, who represented Greece in the grand final of Eurovision 2025. Greece finished sixth in the grand final with 231 points.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Greece’s 46th participation in Eurovision. Greece joined the competition in 1974 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2005 when singer Helena Paparizou won first place with the song “My Number One”.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
Neta Geffen is a respected journalist at Euromix, Israel’s leading news site for Eurovision coverage. Since 2010, Neta has been closely following the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing with him extensive experience, profound knowledge, and a broad understanding of the history, politics, and cultural influences that shape the event every year.
Neta publishes articles, analyses, and up-to-date reviews on all Eurovision developments, including musical trends, format changes, political influences, and audience reactions across Europe and Israel. Thanks to a deep connection to the contest’s history, Neta provides readers with wide-ranging context—from the impact of political events on results, to in-depth analyses of songs and languages within the competition. Neta specializes particularly in the Eurovision rock genre, Balkan ballads, and native language entries, with a special focus on Italian and Greek songs.
