MADRID — Spain’s withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation has upended a cherished national tradition for thousands of fans, according to the Associated Press. Five countries are sitting out the world’s most-watched musical competition, which drew 166 million viewers last year, to protest the war in Gaza. For many in Spain, the annual gathering to cheer on their performer — absent since a 1969 win — has been replaced by a muted solo viewing on YouTube.
RTVE, Spain’s public broadcaster, announced in December that it would not participate after the European Broadcasting Union said Israel would be allowed to compete. Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Iceland joined the boycott. RTVE had already signaled its disapproval during last year’s semifinals, when commentators introduced Israel’s singer alongside a mention of Palestinians killed in the war, and the network aired “Peace and justice for Palestine” on a black background before the final. This year, instead of broadcasting the Vienna final, RTVE will air a tribute to its musical history featuring the duo Tony Grox and Lucycalys, who would have represented Spain. Ireland’s public broadcaster will show a film about life in the Irish countryside, and Slovenia will air an episode of a 10-part program about Palestinians. Viewers can still watch the contest on the European Broadcasting Union’s YouTube channel, but without a national performer or commentator, the communal atmosphere evaporates.
The boycott has split Spain’s devoted fan base. Rebeca Carril, a 42-year-old marketing executive in Madrid, said her turn came when Israeli sponsors began pouring into the contest a few years ago. “I have Palestinian friends and I began to understand a little better how things worked,” she told the AP, describing her decision to stop tuning in to avoid supporting their marketing. By contrast, Guillermina Bastida, a 47-year-old communications worker from Asturias, drove three and a half days in a van with her two daughters to attend last year’s competition in Basel for the third time. “It’s a song festival, period,” she said. “I also have my own stance, which is critical, but not to the point of boycotting the festival.” This year she will settle for YouTube.
Silvia Díaz, whose annual viewing party with friends was canceled because the host wanted to honor the boycott, lamented the loss of the shared ritual. “It’s not the same watching it alone at home as it is with friends. That’s the only thing that upsets me,” she said. In Vienna, the absence of Spanish fans, known for their loud, joyful presence, was immediately apparent. Vicente Rico, a 40-year-old Madrid perfumery owner attending his 18th Eurovision, told the AP he felt torn before making the trip. “It bothers me that Eurovision is being used as a scapegoat,” he said, pointing to the lack of action by international organizations and the absence of boycotts at other events like the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Still, he supports Finland to win, and when asked who he was rooting against, he replied: “This year, we’re rooting for everyone except Israel.”
Eurovision’s motto is “United by Music,” and organizers insist it is a contest among broadcasters, not governments. Rules ban overtly political lyrics or symbols. Yet politics has repeatedly intruded. Months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Broadcasting Union disqualified Russia, which has not returned. Israel has competed for 50 years, winning four times, and many Israelis see participation as a sign of international acceptance. The boycott deprives the contest of significant broadcasting revenue, as Spain is one of the “Big Five” financial contributors, and damages its claim to apolitical unity, said Jose García, co-director of a Eurovision news website with nearly 100,000 combined social media followers. “It has marked the television and personal history of many people, and fans will watch it via international channels or YouTube,” he said. “But it’s one thing to be able to watch it and another to agree with what’s happening.”