Eurovision's Political Stage: Israel's Potential Exclusion

The Eurovision Song Contest may exclude Israel next year due to the Gaza war, as urged by countries like Ireland and Spain. Eurovision faces scrutiny for intertwining politics with music. A vote by the European Broadcasting Union will determine participants for the 2026 event, set in Vienna.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Geneva | Updated: 26-09-2025 13:29 IST | Created: 26-09-2025 13:29 IST

Eurovision's Political Stage: Israel's Potential Exclusion — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

Country:
Switzerland

The organizing body of the Eurovision Song Contest has announced that member countries are set to vote in November on whether Israel will be allowed to participate in next year's event, amidst rising calls for its exclusion due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

A spokesman, Dave Goodman, confirmed via email that the European Broadcasting Union's board has distributed a letter to its members, informing them of the vote to be held at an extraordinary general meeting online in early November. This move comes on the heels of several countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, threatening withdrawal if Israel remains in the competition.

The contest, regarded as the 'Olympics of pop music,' has long been a stage where politics and regional tensions are visible. In a recent instance, Russia was banned following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The next Eurovision Song Contest will occur in May 2026 in Vienna, Austria – a tradition dictated by this year's host, Austria's JJ, victorious in Basel 2025 with "Wasted Love."