It’s the 5th of December 2025, nearly 11pm. A little over 24 hours after a statement was released by the EBU that will impact many people’s lives, some of us forever. The various members of the organization have debated during what was probably their most consequential assembly to date.

The topics at hand? The overal organization of the 2026 edition, a change of rules and most importantly: the participation of one of its most discussed members: KAN, representing Israel.

Following what Martin Green called a serene and open dialogue, a vote determined that the changes in the rules of the contest were sufficient to ensure a smooth and fair contest for all. And a further vote on KAN’s participation was unnecessary. Israel is in!

But is it really fair for all? Clearly not everyone agrees. In just over an hour no less than 4 countries decided to withdraw from the 2026 edition. Spain, Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland all argued that the views held by the organization do not align with their own.

69 years of history and music. And in the course of one single evening (so to speak) the issue has divided not only broadcasters, but the fans and even politicians alike. People are already turning on each other, judging without knowing. All of them convinced that theirs is the only truth: “this is how it is, no other way can it be!”

Eurovision: non political?

And so Eurovision has now at last abandoned the very foundation on which it was built all those years ago: unity. We’re no longer ‘united by music’. Instead we’re divided by politics. The very thing the EBU so adamantly claims has no part at the contest.

But Eurovision was never apolitical, doesn’t matter if you’re good or brutal. Where you have people representing their countries, politics will inevitably follow. It is the reason why the contest was created in the first place. It’s the reason why Eurovision is as big as it is today. It’s the reason why juries were brought back in 2009, and why countries ever vote for their neighbors.

It was never an issue of keeping politics out of Eurovision. It was always an issue of keeping it to a bear minimum. And that’s where it all went wrong. By making a series of unfortunate decisions and failing to be transparent the EBU have navigated the contest into a place from which it will probably never fully come back.

doesn’t matter if you’re good or brutal

But what’s resulted in them making the decisions they have? Why is it that they so desperately cling to neutrality on an issue that is so very clearly not neutral? Why was Russia banned immediately and is Israel allowed to continue their atrocities without a care in the world? Does it really only have to do with the contest’s rules? The answer is complex and open to interpretation. So I’ll try my best to explain my point of view.

When Russia was banned after invading Ukraine, the EBU were in a precarious situation. Both countries were active members and competing annually. By letting Ukraine stay and banning Russia, they dodged a bullet. The situation was clear: Russia was the aggressor, Ukraine the vitcim. But why was that decision so easy? Russia’s broadcaster broke the rules and didn’t act independently from their government.

But does KAN? Didn’t they also break those exact same rules? The evidence is all over the internet! It seems easy enough. But Palestine is not European. It’s far away from home for most of us. Palestine is not an active member of the EBU. And then we get to the real issue in my mind: Israel still very much has a monopoly on the role of the victim. Their tragic history somehow seems to continuously clear them from any future wrongdoing.

Why else do we see a country like Germany so desperately trying to protect Israel’s participation? What would the world think if they of all people judged and lectured another nation on war crimes? That to me is the real problem: The men in charge are too scared to cut the ties. They’re too scared for the world’s judgement. They still feel a certain sense of shame and sympathy for what happened during WW2.

But how much time is enough to see past that on an issue such as this? How much suffering is enough to put those feelings of compassion aside and condemn the violence? Why can both feelings not coexist? When does unity and neutrality make room for morality? Isn’t it about high time that we value the right for basic humanity and decency more than the right to entertain and celebrate? When do we finally admit that there is no Eurovision without politics?

“How many times do we have to lose?” Emmelie sang to us 12 years ago. Little did we realize that these words would once again be so relevant today. Maybe she had a mission, when she flew across Europe this year from national final to national final.

so what now?

So what now? Where do we go from here? I genuinely don’t know. In several countries such as Poland, Iceland and Portugal, where the broadcasters already confirmed participation, tensions are rising. Various artists, both Eurovision and non Eurovision related, are calling on their broadcasters to reconsider and withdraw. In Belgium several political parties and celebrities have urged RTBF to change their point of view and asked VRT not to broadcast.

And what do we, the fans, do with Eurovision 2026? Do we watch? Do we go? Can we really still justify it to ourselves? Do we have to justify ourselves? Again: I do not know. I for one am tired, and lost. I don’t know if I’ll watch national finals. I don’t know if I’ll listen to the selected songs. Right now I’m leaning towards not watching the contest and skipping this year at least. But who knows how I’ll feel come May. But whatever people decide, I will not judge. The loss is too big for most of us to just brush it off and move on.

To people out there who say: It’s just a contest, get over it! To you I would say: No, it’s not just a contest. For many of us it is our entire world. Our lives. Our hobbies. Most of us spend all year discussing and dreaming of it. We have created friendships that, in my case at least, have meant more to me than the friendships I’ve built outside of this community.

To those “locals” I would say: imagine if you’re a football fan. You watch it daily, you go and see matches, the World Cup. The very air you breathe is football. Imagine then that the rest of the world tells you you can no longer love it. How would that make you feel? That is how we feel right now.

the end of Eurovision?

Bottom line: our dear contest is broken. Into a million pieces. And the shards are shattered all throughout the world. Picked up by the fans, desperately trying to glue them back together, all the while trying not to lose ourselves and our morals in the process.

I do not believe that this is the end of Eurovision. I fear not enough people really care enough for it to end. The contest will still continue to grow. Because when it really comes down to it, most people are incapable of giving up their own comfort and happiness for the sake of someone else’s. There is a limit to our compassion and empathy.

I think in time the contest will heal itself. I still love this silly stupid thing. Or at least I love what it used to be. And what it hopefully can become again in the future. And in the meantime it’s up to us individually to decide what we do with the pieces we picked up. Some of us may stay, others will take a break. Others still might never return.

But I do sincerely hope that we can let everyone make that decision for themselves. We’ve already lost a lot this week. So let’s not also lose sight of the friendships and the community we’ve created and the love we share for the music. Go talk to your friends. Meet them. Go support your favorite artists. Go see them live.

We still have so much to be grateful for. 🩵