Eurovision Overhauls Voting Rules After Israel Controversy

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has sent a letter to broadcasters in participating countries proposing a radical overhaul of Eurovision's voting system. The news comes from Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, which obtained a copy of the organisers' letter.

Under the proposed changes, voting would move entirely online, with every viewer required to select three favourite acts at once. Previously, viewers could cast multiple votes for the same contestant — a loophole that opened the door to abuse.

"Politically motivated voting has become a recurring issue, and many people see it as a serious concern. We are confident these changes will help mitigate the effect of organised bloc voting without undermining the fairness of the contest or public trust in it," the EBU letter states.

The Israel controversy

Eurovision's voting rules came under intense scrutiny after Israel's government publicly urged fans in 2025 to cast as many votes as possible for the country's representative. Singer Yuval Raphael ranked just 15th according to national juries, yet the public vote handed her song "New Day Will Rise" 297 points — enough to place her second overall.

Broadcasters from a number of countries questioned the legitimacy of the result. They pointed to official accounts linked to the Israeli government, including that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which urged supporters to vote for Raphael up to twenty times — the maximum number of votes allowed at the time.

According to the BBC, the EBU subsequently cut the vote limit to ten for the 2026 season. Organisers also issued an official warning to Israeli broadcaster Kan ahead of the semi-finals and final, after the country's contestant posted a video urging fans to vote for Israel ten times in a row. Eurovision organisers deemed such appeals contrary to the spirit of the competition and demanded the video be taken down.

New restrictions for future contests

After six years of partnership, Israeli cosmetics maker Moroccan Oil is stepping down as a Eurovision sponsor. The company had already faced criticism amid widespread protests over Israel's participation in the contest during the war in Gaza.

Under the EBU's new regulations, Eurovision will no longer be held in countries involved in armed conflicts or facing other sensitive geopolitical situations. Organisers have also raised the minimum age for contestants from 16 to 18 and plan to tighten rules on the use of pre-recorded vocal tracks.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz