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Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) met today in Geneva today to discuss issues around changes to the next Eurovision Song Contest. In particular, one topic dominated the agenda of what will be a two-day meeting: should Israeli broadcaster Kan be allowed to take part.
There had been plans for a vote amongst active members on the issue back in November. Following the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire, the EBU pulled the vote and insisted the matter could be resolved with reasoned debate. Last week, Eurovision organisers released details of plans to improve perceived fairness in voting, answering demands from some broadcasters, after state-sponsored advertising for votes was thought to influence the result.
The rule changes were presented, and a debate followed. Broadcasters from Turkey, Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, UK and Belgium chose to comment. Norway supported the regulatory changes, while Swedish SVT and the UK’s BBC called for all countries to not bring politics into the contest. Israeli broadcaster Kan spoke next, insisting they should take part as they had not broken any Eurovision Song Contest rules. Representatives from Turkey and Algeria left the room at this point.
According to the Spanish outlet 20 Minutos, RTVE intervened in today’s general assembly meeting by invoking the EBU’s own statutes, which stipulate that if at least five member countries request a secret ballot, the vote must be conducted anonymously. Eight countries, including Spain, have submitted a document requesting that delegations be able to vote without revealing their positions, eliminating the possibility of external pressure influencing the outcome.
Under EBU rules, a simple majority is required for any decision on participation. Each country has one vote and only those present in Geneva may take part. Delegates may abstain. The secret ballot mechanism ensures that member broadcasters can vote according to their genuine positions without fear of diplomatic repercussions.
Two votes may take place. One to accept or reject the rule changes proposed. If that fails to pass, a second vote will happen. The one to decide on Israeli participation.
Following the meeting, which concludes tomorrow, member broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm their participation in Eurovision 2026, with a final list expected to be announced by Christmas.
The outcome of today’s proceedings will mark either the first exclusion of an EBU member from Eurovision since Russia’s suspension following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, or the first coordinated withdrawal of multiple Western European democracies from the contest in its 70-year history.
