Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar, presenters of the Spanish Eurovision programme.
Credit score: Screenshot from present.
In an unashamed and aggressive breach of the European Broadcasting Union’s (who handle the Eurovision Track Contest) protocol, the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE aired pro-Palestinian messages through the Eurovision Track Contest, resulting in a proper warning and threats of monetary penalties.
The controversy started through the second semifinal when Spanish commentators Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar, the TV presenters of the present in Spain, acknowledged, ‘The victims of the Israeli assaults in Gaza now exceed 50,000, together with greater than 15,000 youngsters, in line with the United Nations,’ in opposition to strict guidelines from the Eurovision organisation to maintain politics out of the competitors.
Regardless of the EBU’s warning, RTVE doubled down, broadcasting earlier than the grand remaining: ‘Within the face of human rights, silence isn’t an choice. Peace and justice for Palestine.’ The EBU, which strictly enforces an apolitical stance to make sure music stays a uniting power, responded with a letter to RTVE’s content material director, Ana María Bordas. In keeping with Spanish information outlet Ceuta Actualidad, the letter explicitly prohibited political statements through the competition, threatening sanctions for additional violations. RTVE’s actions have sparked debate over freedom of expression versus the EBU’s dedication to neutrality.
In 2024’s competitors, the crew from Eire’s entry, Barbie Thug, booed the Israeli singer. This yr, Eire, for the primary time in residing reminiscence, didn’t make it previous the primary semi-finals. Melody, 2025’s Spanish hopeful, was tipped to attain extremely however solely got here twenty fourth.
The factors system is made up of two sides – a jury from the music trade and the favored vote from followers of the present who message in. Israel’s entry in 2025 was Yuval Raphael, who had survived the assault by Hamas gunmen on October 7, 2023, by hiding below a useless physique, got here second within the competitors after profitable the favored vote.
The incident poses questions on ongoing tensions surrounding political messaging at Eurovision, a platform traditionally designed to deliver collectively nations in unity. It additionally means that these flagrantly breaking the competitors’s guidelines may be out of contact with the audiences following the competitors itself.
Because the fallout continues, questions stay about how the EBU will implement its guidelines and whether or not RTVE will face additional penalties within the coming yr.