BASEL, SWITZERLAND – Israel’s unexpected surge to the top of the public vote at last weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest final has triggered a wave of concern and outright demands for an examination of the competition’s voting system from a growing number of European broadcasters. Despite finishing joint 14th with the national juries, Israeli representative Yuval Raphael’s ballad “New Day Will Rise” secured the highest viewer tally, vaulting her into second place overall behind winner Austria.
The discrepancy between the jury and public votes, particularly for Israel, has prompted official inquiries and public statements from broadcasters in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, and Finland. Some are directly requesting an audit of the results, citing suspicions of “manipulation” and questioning the fairness of a system that allows viewers to cast up to 20 votes each.
“A system in which everyone can cast up to 20 votes is a system that encourages manipulation,” stated Katia Segers, a Flemish MP, reflecting a common concern. Broadcasters like Ireland’s RTE and Spain’s RTVE have formally requested full breakdowns of the voting data from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision.
The controversy is particularly acute given the intense political tensions surrounding Israel’s participation in this year’s contest, fueled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Numerous calls for Israel’s exclusion had preceded the event, with some arguing that its presence politicized a competition meant to be apolitical.
The EBU, in response, has staunchly defended the integrity of the voting process. Martin Green, the contest’s director, asserted that the voting operation is “the most advanced in the world” and undergoes rigorous independent verification to detect and exclude “suspicious or irregular voting patterns.” He acknowledged being in contact with several broadcasters and “taking their concerns seriously,” but maintained that the results were valid.
However, the skepticism persists. While Israel’s public vote points (297) were actually slightly lower than last year’s entry (323), the dramatic contrast with its jury score (just 60 points) has fueled theories. Some online commentary has pointed to reports, including one from the EBU’s own independent news branch, Eurovision News Spotlight, indicating that an Israeli government agency paid for advertising campaigns to encourage voting for Raphael. The EBU has stated this does not violate rules, as many delegations promote their entries, but critics argue it contravenes the “spirit of the competition.”
Public broadcasters from countries with strong pro-Palestinian sentiment, such as Ireland and Spain, saw their national televotes award high points to Israel, further intensifying the debate. This has led to accusations of “genocide whitewashing” and questions about whether these votes truly reflect the broader public opinion in those nations, or if they were influenced by coordinated campaigns.
As the dust settles on the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, the focus is clearly shifting from the musical performances to the mechanics of its voting system. While the EBU stands firm on its verification processes, the calls for greater transparency and a potential overhaul of the televoting rules suggest that this year’s contest will be remembered not just for its winner, but for the profound questions it raised about its own democratic heart. The pressure is now on the EBU to address these concerns to maintain the credibility and perceived fairness of Europe’s biggest musical spectacle.