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From soaring power ballads to novelty earworms, disco to metal and even “ouija pop”, there’s nothing quite like Eurovision – watched by millions around the world, tuning in to celebrate live music’s weird and wonderful. 

Politics has always played a part, despite insistence by organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that it remains politically neutral.

Countries have pulled out or been banned in previous years – most notably Russia in 2022, just days after the invasion of Ukraine.

But it now seems like Eurovision could be facing its biggest political crisis yet.

In the last two years, there has been growing controversy over Israel’s participation, with protests in host city Basel, Switzerland, earlier this year, and Malmo in Sweden when it held the competition in 2024.

Ahead of next year’s ceremony in Vienna, Austria, tensions have risen already.

Earlier this month, Irish broadcaster RTE made an announcement: it will boycott the competition if Israel is allowed to take part. The Netherlands and Spain quickly followed suit, and other countries including Slovenia and Iceland have suggested similar.

It comes amid increasing criticism of Israel’s continued military action in Gaza, launched in response to the attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which left some 1,200 people dead.

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, the competition’s governing body, has extended the deadline for broadcasters to confirm participation to mid-December. It says a decision on Israel’s participation is pending and that it has “taken note of the concerns expressed by several broadcasters”.

Politics at Eurovision – and why is this different?

What is unfolding now is unlike anything that has come before, says Dean Vuletic, a historian of contemporary Europe and author of Postwar Europe In The Eurovision Song Contest.

“Politics has always been there,” he says. “Countries have always used the contest to send political messages. For example, in the very first contest in 1956, West Germany was represented by a Jew and a Holocaust survivor.

“In recent years, though, things have changed because the European Broadcasting Union has had to make political decisions.”

Vuletic cites Belarus’s exclusion in 2021, after the country had experienced large protests over the disputed re-election of leader Alexander Lukashenko, and its entry was deemed too political.

The following year, Russia was kicked out just a few days after the start of the invasion on Ukraine. The EBU said at the time that Russia’s participation would “bring the competition into disrepute”.

But these are not the first examples of countries being excluded from the competition; this first happened in the early 1990s, when the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned due to UN sanctions.

“When it came to Belarus, Russia, there were also European sanctions,” says Vuletic. “Israel was for a long time not subject to sanctions from European countries for its actions in Gaza – although in recent days we’ve seen that changing.”

What about the BBC?

BBC director general Tim Davie has said the corporation is “aware of the concerns” raised, but the song contest has “never been about politics”.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster sent a similar statement to Sky News, saying: “We are aware of the various views and concerns which have been expressed in recent days in relation to next year’s Eurovision. At this stage, we will continue to be part of the discussions, led by the European Broadcasting Union, with other members and broadcasters.

“Eurovision has never been led by politics, it has been – and is – a celebration of music and culture that brings people together from across the world.”

Why is Spain’s stance particularly important?

Spain is one of Eurovision’s “Big Five” countries, a group which also includes France, Germany, Italy and the UK. While the host broadcaster – decided by the previous year’s winner – will often contribute most towards the cost of staging the contest, the Big Five will also make up a significant amount.

These countries are big markets for Eurovision and acts are given direct entry to the final because of this. They also act as reserve countries should a winning country not be able to host; in 2023, the UK stepped in following Ukraine’s win the previous year.

“Dr Eurovision” Paul Jordan, who has a PhD in the subject and also worked behind the scenes as part of the EBU’s communications team between 2015 and 2018, says Spain’s stance has increased the pressure.

“There’s always been these tensions but there’s never been a kind of threat of a mass boycott in the way that has happened now,” he says. “The fact they are now outwardly saying they won’t participate with Israel in, that could make the EBU sit up and take notice because there is potential funding pitfalls and audience pitfalls.

“Having a big five country not part of the contest could potentially unravel the funding model. I also think the funding itself potentially needs to be looked at in the context of the financial challenges facing public broadcasters today.”

The EBU has said it is “assessing the potential impacts” of broadcasters pulling out. When asked by Sky News if this includes financial ones they, simply said that “all impacts will be assessed”.

Are other countries likely to follow suit?

Sky News has contacted broadcasters set to take part in the event. Italy’s RAI, another of the Big Five, said it hoped to have news on the issue soon. Germany’s SWR said its parent company, ARD, supports the consultation process and will back the EBU’s decision.

In a statement, an SWR spokesperson said the goal is “to reach a well-founded and sustainable agreement that aligns with the values” of the EBU.

“The ESC has been a major musical event for decades, connecting people across Europe and beyond through diversity, respect, and openness, regardless of origin, religion, or beliefs. It is a competition organised by EBU broadcasters, not by governments.”

Experts agree the number of countries threatening a boycott will likely increase – although it could work both ways.

“We have to see what this period of consultation will bring, which countries will also join the calls for a boycott of the contest if Israel does participate, which countries might be steadfast in their support of Israel,” says Vuletic.

“For now, that’s not clear, whether countries will actually be so supportive of Israel so as to themselves contribute to a boycott of the contest. That would be a very big political message because if they take the side of Israel and not of their European partners, then we might see even greater ramifications of this crisis.”

What has Israel said?

Israel’s broadcaster, Kan, did not respond to Sky News’ request for comment.

However, chief executive Golan Yochpaz reportedly told the Times of Israel that the event should not become political and that that there is “no reason” why Israel should not be part of it.

He also highlighted Israel’s success in the competition, with one win in 2018 and three other top-five finishes in recent years.

The situation in Gaza

More than 65,000 people in Gaza have now been killed in the war, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The figure does not specify the number of Hamas members killed.

The ongoing military action continues following the Hamas terror attack on Israel in October 2023, which saw around 1,200 people killed and 251 people taken hostage. Forty-eight remain in Gaza, but fewer then half are thought to still be alive.

Earlier in September, a UN commission agreed Israel is committing genocide – the first time such an explosive allegation has been made publicly by a UN body. Israel has vehemently denied this claim as “distorted and false”.

Sky News analysis shows thousands of families remain in crowded tent camps in Gaza City, with the UN estimating last week that a million people remain there.

Israel, however, believes 40% of the population has already fled south and earlier this week opened a new evacuation route for 48 hours.

What happened at the contest this year and in 2024?

Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 2-23 Hamas attack, won the public vote with the song New Day Will Rise, and at one point looked set to be crowned the overall winner of this year’s competition – but ultimately finished second when the jury vote was included.

There were protests before and during her performance.

“I was just metres away from pro-Palestinian protesters who threw red paint when the Israeli artist appeared on stage,” says Vuletic. “And of course, it must be hugely stressful for these artists. There are also increased security measures, especially for these artists who are targeted.

“You could sense the tension in the arena when it became apparent that Israel could win the contest. A lot of people were willing to allow Israel to participate in the contest, they were not necessarily supporting the Netanyahu government… but when it appeared that Israel really could win the contest you could really sense this fear among the live audience in the arena, that the contest could be held in Israel the following year.”

Having Israel as a host country would lead to a lot more countries boycotting, he says.

“It’s become so toxic,” says Jordan. “You see now, booing on the stage in a way that you had for Russia before. But really, in 2024, it became much more pronounced.

“Eurovision is meant to be joyous. And I remember the day of the [2024] final being with friends in a pub. And it just felt like an impending sense of doom, something was going to go wrong… it just felt that this is a house of cards that could potentially come falling down…

“Eurovision for me was all about escapism, they call it the Eurovision bubble. And that was a very special thing. And I feel now that’s kind of changing. It feels like an event that we all grew up with, now at 70 years old, and it could potentially start to unravel. It’d be a great shame, I think, culturally, if that does happen.”

Who else has commented?

Austrian singer JJ, who won this year’s competition, has also reportedly called for Israel’s exclusion in 2026.

Following his win in May, singer JJ said it was “disappointing to see Israel still participating”, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. “I would like the next Eurovision to be held in Vienna and without Israel,” he added.

And Austria will of course host the show next year.

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In a statement sent to Sky News, broadcaster ORF said the decision is a matter for the EBU.

“It is always the public broadcaster of a country that takes part in the Eurovision Song Contest, not the government or country itself,” an ORF spokesperson said. “Ultimately, however, the decision regarding participation is a matter for the EBU and its members. ORF will be a good host for all delegations in May 2026.”

What happens now?

The competition’s director, Martin Green, has said the EBU understands “the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East” and that the organisation is still consulting with all members “to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions”.

Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm whether or not they are taking part – and the EBU then has a decision to make.

The UK has to be “careful” and protect free speech as debate becomes “more and more toxic” on both sides of the Atlantic, a British satirist has said.

Tom Walker, better known as the ranting fictitious newsreader Jonathan Pie, has issued the warning after US talk show Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air for comments he made following the death of Charlie Kirk.

Speaking to Niall Paterson on the Sky News Daily podcast, Walker said he believes he wouldn’t be able work as a satirist in America today as the Trump administration appears to be cracking down on those who speak out against him.

He added: “I genuinely don’t think I would be allowed into the country. That might sound dramatic, but they go through your social media posts. I think Trump thinks that not agreeing with him is anti-American, whereas it’s not, it’s anti-Trump, it’s anti-Republican. So a lot of my posts would be seen as anti-American.”

Walker went viral in 2016 after posting a clip of Jonathan Pie passionately blaming “the left” for Mr Trump’s victory in the US election the same year.

The comedian argued that left-leaning people had “lost the art” of engaging with anyone with a different opinion to them and urged them to “stop thinking everyone who disagrees with you is evil, racist or sexist or stupid”.

Asked by Niall if he believes Kimmel, who has a long history of speaking out against Mr Trump, is partly responsible for the rise of the populist president, Walker said: “No, I don’t… Most of these late-night hosts are left-leaning and Trump is an own goal for satire.

“I don’t think there was much that Jimmy Kimmel said in his monologue the other day that was anywhere near as divisive as the rhetoric coming from Donald Trump or (vice president) JD Vance, so there is an inherent hypocrisy there.”

However, Walker believes “right-wingers” are not the only reason free speech is under a “huge amount of threat in America”.

The satirist, who counts himself as being left-wing, continued: “I think the left have enabled a culture where people don’t feel that they’re able to express their views.

“The left-wing were the flag-bearers of cancel culture. And now it’s sort of coming back to bite us in a terrifying way.”

Kimmel was taken off air months after US talk show host Stephen Colbert had his show cancelled – something his fans have attributed to his criticism of Mr Trump.

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Meanwhile, the US president appeared to encourage NBC to cancel the talk shows of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers in a Truth Social post on Thursday. Both presenters are known to have made jokes about Mr Trump in the past.

Asked whether the UK should be worried about free speech apparently being targeted in the UK in a similar way, Walker said: “I think that there are issues of free speech in this country. I don’t think it is quite as bad as what’s happening in America, but we have to be careful. The debate on both sides of the Atlantic is becoming more and more toxic, I think. And it’s divide and conquer. ‘You’re either with me or you’re against me’. And I think both sides have to take some responsibility for that.”

Walker pointed out that when he posted a satirical video on X called “The Death Of Discourse” in relation to the Kirk assassination, he was attacked by social media users on both the left and right of politics.

He added: “I think that’s the problem… We have forgotten how to talk and listen to people that we fundamentally disagree with.”