VIENNA – The Eurovision Song Contest kicks off on Tuesday, marking its 70th anniversary amidst controversy over Israel’s involvement. This annual musical spectacle, known for its flamboyant performances, faces a shadow of discord this year.
Vienna, the host city, is awash with heart motifs and the event’s theme, “United by Music.” Competitors from 35 nations are set to vie for the prestigious title in this week-long celebration. However, a protest against Israel’s participation has led to a boycott by five countries—Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland.
Pro-Palestinian rallies are expected throughout Vienna during the contest, leading to heightened security measures. Law enforcement from across Austria, with assistance from German forces, is ensuring safety in the capital.
Security concerns are intensified by recent developments. A 21-year-old Austrian admitted to planning an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, scheduled for 2024, showing allegiance to the Islamic State. Sylvia Mayer, the head of Austria’s DSN intelligence service, noted that threats from both Islamist and Iran-affiliated groups remain substantial.
Among the 15 acts vying for a spot in the final is Israeli performer Noam Bettan, who will sing in Tuesday’s semifinal at the Wiener Stadthalle arena. The top 10 from this round will move on to Saturday’s grand finale, along with qualifiers from Thursday’s semifinal. The U.K., France, Germany, and Italy have guaranteed spots due to their financial contributions, while Austria automatically qualifies as last year’s winner and current host.
Bettan aims to propel Israel into the finals with his heartfelt ballad “Michelle,” following a strong second-place finish in 2025. Like his predecessor Yuval Raphael, Bettan has been preparing to perform amidst potential jeers from the audience.
Hoping to cement its status as bookmakers’ favorite is Finland, with the intense “Liekinheitin” (“Flamethrower”) by violinist Linda Lampenius and pop singer Pete Parkkonen.
Other competitors in Tuesday’s semifinal include Greece’s Akylas with fan-favorite party-rap track “Ferto” (“Bring It”); Portuguese quintet Bandidos do Cante with the soulful “Rosa”; and singer Senhit, representing tiny San Marino with “Superstar,” a party anthem featuring a guest appearance by Boy George.
Long a forum for good-natured — and sometimes more pointed — national rivalries, Eurovision has found it hard to separate pop and politics in recent years. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden, and last year’s event in Basel, Switzerland, saw pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be expelled over its conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza and allegations it ran a rule-breaking marketing campaign to get votes for its contestant.
When organizers declined to kick Israel out, five countries announced in December that they would not participate this year.
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting rules in response to the vote-rigging allegations, halving the number of votes per person to 10 and tightening safeguards against “suspicious or coordinated voting activity.”
Dean Vuletic, author of “Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest,” is confident Eurovision can weather the latest storms.
“We’ll see demonstrations, but we’ll also see a lot of colorful events going on which will really represent what Eurovision is about, which is bringing Europeans together,” he said.
“If you look at the history of Eurovision, it’s gone through so many crises, so many political challenges, so many geopolitical changes in Europe, and it’s always managed to survive.”
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