Some broadcasters have rowed in behind the EBU’s current stance that the competition should remain apolitical.
Germany’s umbrella organization of regional broadcasters, ARD, will support whatever decision the EBU makes, said SWR (the regional broadcaster in charge of organizing Germany’s Eurovision participation) in a statement to POLITICO.
An SWR spokesperson said Eurovision is a “competition organized by broadcasters, not by governments,” that connects people “regardless of origin, religion, or beliefs.”
The director general of the U.K’s public broadcaster said this week that Eurovision has “never been about politics,” and it is up to the EBU to decide who participates.
That said, in 2022, the EBU banned Russia from the competition following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, symbolizing the awkward intersection of politics and culture at which Eurovision sits.
Eurovision expert Jordan, who also worked for the music contest’s communications team for three years, warns that the EBU is currently walking a tightrope on Israel, with a “tense few months ahead,” which have “the potential for the contest to unravel.”
“I think the beauty of Eurovision, and the reason why it’s lasted so long, is that it has been an inclusive space. I think it would be a great shame if it becomes a political football,” he said.
Aitor Hernández-Morales contributed to this report.