Is this the end of Eurovision as we know it? The annual song contest is in crisis once again after it confirmed that Israel would be allowed to participate in next year’s event, despite calls from several participating broadcasters to exclude the country over its war in Gaza. Four countries – Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands – immediately announced their intention to boycott the contest in response.
To many, Eurovision has become politicised to the point of no return. It’s a sad state of affairs for a show that introduced the world to Abba and Celine Dion, and whose slogan is “united by music”. Only in the last decade, too, did it feel as though it had shaken off its image as a cheesy novelty show – especially to our cynical UK audience – to go mainstream as one of the year’s cultural highlights. It is not an understatement to say that Eurovision is now facing the biggest crisis of its 69-year history, as other participating countries threaten to walk out if Israel is not allowed to compete.
