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Eurovision organizers announced a series of voting reforms on Friday, saying the move aims to improve trust and transparency after repeated disputes over heavy public backing for Israel in recent contests.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that new rules will apply to next year’s event in Vienna. The most significant change cuts the number of votes any individual viewer can submit by half, limiting each payment method to ten votes instead of twenty.
The EBU said it will also introduce tighter restrictions on promotional activity to curb outside influence, including campaigns backed by governments, and strengthen systems designed to detect and block coordinated or fraudulent voting patterns.
The announcement follows warnings from several broadcasters that they might withdraw from the 2026 competition if Israel is allowed to take part. Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands were among those who raised the possibility of a boycott, while others cited concerns over the situation in Gaza.
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said Israel committed a serious violation of press freedom in Gaza and accused it of improper interference in last year’s contest by lobbying international audiences for votes.
EBU’s Eurovision director Martin Green said the organization had taken in member feedback and decided on firm steps to protect the neutrality of the competition. He said the event must remain focused on music rather than political influence.
The rule changes come after two consecutive contests in which Israeli entrants received minimal support from professional juries but exceptionally high public votes. Eden Golan moved from near the bottom of the Malmo jury ranking to fifth place in 2024. Yuval Raphael rose to second place in Basel this year largely due to public voting.
EBU members had initially planned to vote this month on Israel’s eligibility for Vienna. However, after a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the organization postponed the decision to its December general assembly. Member broadcasters will first assess whether the new reforms resolve their concerns without requiring a vote.
EBU spokesman Dave Goodman told AFP that the organization hopes the measures will reassure members that neutrality and fairness are being protected. A vote on Israel’s participation will take place only if broadcasters believe the new steps are insufficient.
The final list of participants for the 2026 contest will be announced before Christmas.
Past exclusions show that participation is not guaranteed. Russia was removed from the competition after invading Ukraine in 2022, and Belarus was barred the previous year following the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.
While Eurovision prohibits political content, accusations of political messaging frequently emerge. The EBU said it will also strengthen controls on song lyrics, staging and other performance elements to prevent misuse of the event.
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