Politics and Neighbours

The organisers say the contest is a non-political event, and the rules forbid political messages. Yet it is a contest between countries, voted on by countries, shown on state-linked broadcasters, and so politics keeps arriving. This chapter looks at the main arguments: whether neighbours vote for each other, whether the Big Five have an unfair advantage, who is allowed to take part and why countries outside Europe appear, and how the wars and conflicts of recent decades have affected the show. It is a difficult subject, so the chapter sticks to what is widely reported and marks what should be checked. Recent events change quickly, and the chapter ends with the 2026 contest.

Neighbours and Blocs

A long-running complaint is that countries vote for their neighbours or for countries with a shared history, so that results follow geography as much as music. Patterns commonly named include the Nordic countries, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, parts of the former Soviet Union, and pairs such as Greece and Cyprus. Researchers have looked at these patterns, and most find some effect, but the explanation is disputed. Neighbours may share musical taste, languages and migrant communities, and a diaspora vote from people living abroad can look like a bloc. The headline "they only vote for each other" is therefore too simple.

The Big Five Again

Chapter 3 introduced the arrangement under which the largest funders go straight to the final. The politics of it are straightforward. Supporters say the money justifies the place. Critics say it protects the biggest countries and distorts the competition. A related point is that these countries have often finished low in recent years, which supporters use to argue that the place does not guarantee success. The argument is partly about fairness and partly about money, and no result settles it.

Who May Take Part

The contest is open to members of the European Broadcasting Union, and eligibility depends on the broadcaster, not on the map. That explains why countries that are not in Europe appear.

The consequence is that "Euro" in the name describes the broadcasting union and its history more than a strict geography. It is also the reason a country such as Australia, whose public broadcaster has a large audience for the show, could become a regular entrant. Reactions vary: some fans welcome it, and others think it dilutes the idea of a European contest.

Politics in the Songs and Staging

• Songs with meaning. Some entries have been read as political. Portugal's 1974 entry is often connected with the Carnation Revolution, since a song associated with it is reported to have been used as a signal in the coup, though check the details before quoting them.
• "1944", Ukraine, 2016. Jamala's winning song concerned the deportation of Crimean Tatars under Stalin. Some argued it was political and others that it was history, and the contest kept it. It is generally treated as a case where the rule on political content was tested.
• Flags and gestures. Rules on what may be shown or waved on stage have been changed more than once, and breaking them has led to fines or warnings.
• Disqualification. Some entries have been withdrawn or disqualified because of their lyrics, which shows that the "not political" rule is applied, though not always consistently.

Russia and Ukraine

Russia first took part in the 1990s, and won in 2008 with Dima Bilan's "Believe". Ukraine won in 2004 (Ruslana), 2016 (Jamala) and 2022 (Kalush Orchestra). Relations between the two countries have shaped the contest for years. In 2017 Russia withdrew after its chosen singer was refused entry to Ukraine, which was hosting. After the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the EBU suspended Russian broadcasters from the organisation, and Russia has not taken part since. In 2022, Kalush Orchestra won in Turin with a very large public vote, widely seen as a gesture of support. Because Ukraine could not host in 2023, the United Kingdom did, in Liverpool (Chapter 6 and Chapter 8). Belarus was also removed from the contest in the period after 2021, which is reported but should be confirmed.

Israel, Protest and Boycott

Israel's participation has been controversial, especially during the war in Gaza after October 2023. At the 2024 contest in Malmö there were protests, and calls to exclude Israel from the show were made in a number of countries. The EBU said that the contest is a competition between broadcasters and not governments, and kept Israel in. Reports since then say that some broadcasters have threatened or announced a boycott of later contests. The situation changes quickly, so this course does not list who is or is not taking part in 2026, and a reader should check the official participants list. The longer history of a boycott is older: some countries have withdrawn from particular years over the presence of another, and the Lebanese broadcaster is reported to have withdrawn in 2005 rather than show an Israeli song, which should be confirmed.

Identity and Visibility

The contest has a large LGBT audience and has been the stage for several moments of visibility, including Dana International's win in 1998 and Conchita Wurst's in 2014 (Chapter 5). They provoked support and anger, and some broadcasters or governments have been reported as unhappy with the show for this reason. Turkey's withdrawal after 2012 is sometimes linked to this and to the voting rules, but the reasons given vary, so the link should be treated as a claim.

Exercises

Next chapter: The United Kingdom and Eurovision, which looks at one country's long and uneven record.