Right-wing Janez Janša’s election victory could reshape RTVSLO Israel policy and pave Slovenia’s way back to Eurovision after the 2026 boycott.
Slovenia, remembered in recent years as one of Israel’s most vocal critics within the Eurovision sphere, is now expected to undergo a dramatic political shift. The country led calls to boycott Israel at Eurovision 2026 and even aired a special programming block titled “Voices of Palestine” (Palestine Glasovi) instead of broadcasting the Eurovision shows.
However, Slovenia’s hard-left and strongly anti-Israel government has now collapsed, with a new center-right majority emerging under the leadership of Janez Janša, a politician widely known for his pro-Israel positions.
Janša previously served as Slovenia’s Prime Minister and visited Jerusalem, where he described relations between Israel and Slovenia as “a wonderful friendship.” During his election campaign, he repeatedly pledged to reverse Slovenia’s recognition of Palestine as an independent state and relocate the Slovenian embassy to Jerusalem.
The Slovene national broadcaster RTVSLO has often reflected the political direction of the Slovene government. As the political climate in the country shifted left in recent years, RTVSLO also adopted positions increasingly aligned with that ideology. Following the collapse of Robert Golob’s left-wing government, several officials appointed during his administration are expected to resign or be removed, potentially leading the national broadcaster to soften or completely withdraw its opposition to Israel’s participation in Eurovision.
A Slovenian return to the Eurovision Song Contest is now considered a realistic possibility and would likely be welcomed by the European Broadcasting Union, which is eager to maintain and expand participation numbers in the competition. Bulgaria’s expected victory – which could pave the way for a relatively low-cost Eurovision edition in the Balkans – may further increase Slovenia’s chances of returning to the contest.
Slovenia now joins countries such as Hungary and North Macedonia, both considered likely candidates to announce Eurovision comebacks in the near future. Together with Bulgaria’s victory, these developments may signal a broader decline in Western European dominance within the competition and the beginning of a renewed Eastern European presence on the Eurovision stage.
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.
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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
