The Eurovision Song Contest: Where Politics and Pop Collide
It's a tale as old as time: music, competition, and... politics? The Eurovision Song Contest, a beloved annual event, has recently seen a dramatic turn. Following the decision to allow Israel to compete in the 2026 contest, several countries – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia – have announced their withdrawal. But what does this mean for Israel's standing in the competition? Let's dive in.
First, let's rewind to the 2025 contest. Had these countries already pulled out, how would it have affected the scoreboard? Well, the results are quite revealing.
In the 2025 contest, Israel's representative received a mere 60 points from the juries. Ireland's juries gave Israel 7 points, the Dutch juries awarded 5 points, and both Slovenia and Spain gave Israel zero jury points. But here's where it gets interesting: Israel's saving grace came from the viewers at home, who awarded a whopping 297 points, securing a respectable second-place finish. The Netherlands and Spain, two of the boycotting countries, showered the Israeli song with love, giving it the maximum 12 points. Irish viewers also enjoyed the song, awarding it 10 points, and Slovenian viewers gave a modest 6 points.
So, in 2025, Israel received a total of 52 points from the countries now leaving the contest: 12 from jury panels (an average of 3 points per country) and 40 from home viewers (an average of 10 points per country). But what about the other countries? Austria, for example, which won the contest by a wide margin, received points from the boycotting countries, too. If all votes for Austria from those countries were canceled, the singer would have lost 62 points – not enough to change the outcome.
Moving back to the 2024 contest, after the war began, the same four countries still gave Israel points. The Netherlands and Spain each awarded 12 points, all from viewers after their juries gave Israel zero. Viewers in Ireland and Slovenia also liked the Israeli song, handing out 10 points each, again with zero from juries. This means Israel received 44 points from the withdrawing countries, all from the public vote. The juries, who are supposed to be music professionals, seem to be influenced by political factors.
Before the war, in 2023, Israel's representative, Noa Kirel, placed third. Armenia, which has given Israel just one point since the war began, gave Israel a perfect 24 points in 2023. Azerbaijan also awarded Israel 24 points that year. The countries now boycotting? Spain gave 15 points, the Netherlands gave 8 points, and Ireland also gave Kirel 8 points. Slovenia gave Israel no points at all.
In 2022, Israel didn't qualify for the final. In 2021, Eden Alene received four points from the Netherlands, three from Spain, and one from Slovenia. Ireland, like many participating countries that year, gave no points to Israel's entry, which finished 17th.
In 2019, Tel Aviv hosted Eurovision, and Kobi Marimi ended with 35 points, none of them from the countries now quitting. In 2018, Netta Barzilai won by a landslide. Spain gave the song 22 points. The Netherlands juries disappointed with just 5 points while viewers gave 10, for a total of 15. Ireland awarded Barzilai 13 points. Slovenia gave only one point, from its juries.
The Verdict?
The data paints a clear picture: viewers in at least three of the four boycotting countries have shown strong support for Israel. Their absence won't significantly alter the results. The real losers? The viewers in Slovenia, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, who will miss out on the glitz and glamour of Eurovision. But does this suggest that the juries are more politically motivated than the public? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
