Drama, diversity and democracy? Our take on Eurovision

]The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual musical extravaganza organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Each participating country submits an original song performed live, and then votes are cast to determine the winner. 

The sparkling finale took place on Saturday, held in Basel, Switzerland and it was the usual affair of glitz, glamour and eurocheese. Though markedly (and sadly in my view) less ridiculous than previous years, we saw performances from twenty-six countries, including my personal favourite from Sweden, featuring lyrics about saunas.

The geopolitics of Eurovision has not been something I had previously considered. However the rise of Israel to second place after a public vote raised questions across nations. We’ve done a bit of work in unpicking how Eurovision actually works, and added in our extra thoughts for good measure.  

Geopolitics 

Voting is split between professional juries and public televoting. Each country awards two sets of points: one from a jury of music industry professionals and one from the public. Points range from 1 to 8, then 10 and 12. This dual system often leads to dramatic shifts in rankings between the jury and public votes.

Six countries automatically qualify for the final: the "Big Five"—France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom—due to their significant financial contributions to the EBU, and the host country. All other participating countries must compete in semi-finals for a place in the grand final.

Certain countries often receive consistent votes from specific others due to a mix of cultural closeness, diaspora communities, and geopolitical alliances — a phenomenon lovingly dubbed "bloc voting." For instance, Nordic countries frequently vote for each other, the Balkans have each other's backs, and Greece and Cyprus basically exchange 12 points like love letters. Bloc voting and bias towards different countries may explain why here in the UK we often end up with the dreaded ‘nil points’. 

Large diaspora populations also influence televotes: Turkey, for example, used to rake in votes from Germany and the Netherlands thanks to their Turkish communities. It's not (just) political — shared language, media, and music tastes all play a part. Eurovision may be a song contest, but it’s also a masterclass in international group chats and neighbourly loyalty.

Controversial Eurovision participation and double standards

Israel's entry, "New Day Will Rise" by Yuval Raphael, stirred significant controversy this year. After receiving relatively low scores from professional juries, Israel surged to second place following a massive public vote, securing 12 points—the maximum—from 14 countries, including the UK. 

This dramatic shift raised eyebrows and led to accusations of vote manipulation. Reports revealed that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs orchestrated a large-scale campaign encouraging supporters across Europe to vote for their entry, utilising multilingual ads and urging multiple votes per person. [Eurovision News]

The situation prompted broadcasters from countries like Finland, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Iceland to call for an overhaul of the voting rules, citing concerns over fairness and potential abuse. [BBC]

Critics pointed out that Russia was swiftly banned from the contest in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, while Israel has faced no such repercussions. The EBU justified its decision by highlighting differences in the relationships between the respective governments and their national broadcasters. 

This rationale did little to quell the outcry, with over 70 former Eurovision contestants signing an open letter calling for Israel's exclusion. [The Independent]

Representation and Inclusion

This year's contest showcased greater inclusivity regarding body diversity, with performers of various shapes and sizes gracing the stage. Last year's winner, Nemo from Switzerland, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, delivered a moving performance. Nemo's return highlighted Eurovision's growing platform for gender diversity. 

However, despite these strides, many presenters and performers shared strikingly similar appearances, often reflecting a narrow ideal of national beauty. This homogeneity suggests that traditional standards of beauty still influence representation, overshadowing the diverse demographics of participating countries.

Saying that, the winner of Eurovision, who received high scores from the judges and public, was a delightful singer, JJ, whose almost operatic performance moved audiences across regions. His victory with "Wasted Love" was not just a musical triumph for Austria but also a cultural milestone. As a queer artist of Filipino heritage, JJ's win brought visibility to underrepresented communities in a contest often dominated by Western European aesthetics. His performance, blending classical and modern elements, resonated with audiences and critics alike.

Austria's winning performance

Eurovision 2025 was a rollercoaster of emotions, controversies, and groundbreaking performances. While strides were made in inclusivity and representation, the contest also highlighted ongoing challenges regarding fairness and political influence. 

As the EBU faces mounting pressure to address these issues, fans and participants alike hope for a future where Eurovision truly embodies its motto: "United by Music."