Category: Spain

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The official dates for Benidorm Fest 2026, have been revealed! The festival will take place on February 10th, 12th, and 14th - plus, who is the acclaimed artistic director leading the competition? Benidorm Fest 2026 will once again serve as Spain’s national selection for Eurovision, marking its fifth consecutive year in this role. The grand final is scheduled for February 14th, with the semi-finals set for February 10th and 12th. The winner will represent Spain at Eurovision 2026 in Austria. During the press conference announcing the festival dates, the name of the artistic director was also revealed: none other than Sergio Jaén, who directed the winning Austrian entry at Eurovision 2025, "Wasted Love" by JJ, as well as several other successful Eurovision performances. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sergio Jaén – A Familiar Name in the Eurovision World Sergio Jaén is a highly respected Spanish director who will be responsible for staging Spain’s entry at...

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Spanish poll reveals: 62% of viewers believe the Eurovision 2025 vote was manipulated, 76% demand the abolition of public voting, and 58% support excluding Israel from the contest. A new survey conducted after the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 final in Basel reveals that 62.3% of Spanish viewers believe the public vote was rigged or manipulated. The data, published by the CIS (Spanish Center for Sociological Research), points to unprecedented distrust in the voting mechanism and raises questions about the legitimacy of the winner selection process in Eurovision - the largest and most-watched music event in Europe. Implications: Public Distrust, Calls for Reform, and Political Tensions The far-reaching implications of the survey extend beyond criticism of the voting system. In Spain, 76.2% of viewers support abolishing the public vote entirely following Israel’s victory, and more than 79% demand an external audit of the voting mechanism by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The sharp criticism comes amid growing political trends...

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Spain at Eurovision: The Spanish national broadcaster has taken a more extreme stance regarding Eurovision 2025, threatening to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if the European Broadcasting Union does not meet its demands. Spain is intensifying its pressure and is now threatening to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if its demands to the European Broadcasting Union are not addressed. As previously reported, Spain has called for an investigation into the credibility of the public vote results in Eurovision 2025, apparently following Yuval Raphael’s victory. In addition, Spain has pushed to open a broader discussion about Israel’s participation—a move seemingly aimed at excluding Israel from the contest, given that Spain is currently governed by a distinctly far-left, anti-Israel administration. Ana Maria Bordas, head of the Spanish Eurovision delegation since 2017 and currently a member of the EBU’s reference group, was asked about the possibility of Spain’s withdrawal and responded briefly: “We’ll see.” Her succinct reply leaves open the possibility that Spain may...

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Following the Spanish national broadcaster’s inquiry about voting for Israel, the Eurovision director delivers a clear response defending the integrity of the voting process without leaving room for interpretation Just days after the conclusion of the Eurovision 2025 grand final in Basel, where Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael secured second place and first in the public vote, a controversy arose in Spain regarding the local voting results. The Spanish national broadcaster RTVE approached the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) demanding transparency on how the Spanish public vote was allocated, as Spain awarded Israel the full 12 points for the second consecutive year—a result that sparked public and political criticism. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU’s Response to Spain’s Allegations Following the official inquiry from the Spanish national broadcaster, Martin Green, Eurovision’s executive supervisor, responded directly. In statements given to the news agency EFE and shared with the press, he rejected insinuations of manipulation or problems with the voting system and...

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: The public has spoken, but Spain demands an investigation. Why is the Spanish national broadcaster seeking to review the Spanish audience’s vote in Eurovision 2025? A storm is brewing in Spain following the overwhelming support received by Yuval Raphael, Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025, from Spanish viewers. Despite the Spanish jury awarding Israel zero points, the Spanish public voted differently: 12 points-the maximum score-were given to Israel via the public vote. Now, the Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE, is demanding a comprehensive review of the voting process, effectively challenging its validity. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 142,000 Voters-But RTVE Rejects the Result The Spanish national broadcaster received only preliminary data from the European Broadcasting Union regarding the Spanish vote, indicating that 142,688 public votes were cast in the grand final. According to the report, votes were submitted via 7,283 phone calls, 23,840 SMS messages, and 111,565 online votes through the official app....

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Spain's national broadcaster requested a discussion regarding Israel's participation in Eurovision 2025. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) swiftly dismissed the Spanish request outright. Yesterday, the president of Spain's national broadcaster (RTVE), José Pablo López, sent a letter to EBU Director-General Noel Curran, calling for "a discussion within the organization" regarding the participation of Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest set to take place next month in Basel, Switzerland. Overnight, the EBU issued a statement rejecting Spain's request outright. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "concerns raised by various civil society groups in Spain regarding the situation in Gaza and Kan's participation in the contest." RTVE argued that "it would be appropriate" for the EBU to "recognize this discussion and provide a space for reflection among its members regarding Israel’s broadcaster’s participation." In response to RTVE's letter, the EBU released a brief two-line statement last night: "We welcome RTVE confirming their commitment to the Eurovision Song...

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Spain's national broadcaster is demanding a discussion regarding Israel's participation in Eurovision 2025. What are the potential implications of this Spanish initiative against Israel? The president of Spain's national broadcaster (RTVE), José Pablo López, has sent a letter to the Director-General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Noel Curran, requesting "a discussion within the organization" about the participation of the Israeli public broadcaster, KAN, in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest scheduled to take place next month in Basel, Switzerland. According to RTVE sources, the letter was sent "in accordance with agreements reached by the board of directors" of Spain's national broadcaster. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The letter reflects RTVE's "commitment" to Eurovision while acknowledging "concerns raised by various civil society groups in Spain regarding the situation in Gaza and KAN's participation in the contest." RTVE believes that it would be "appropriate" for the EBU to "recognize this debate and provide a space for reflection among...