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Sweden’s representative for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest said she received death threats after calling for Israel’s exclusion from the competition, highlighting growing tensions around this year’s event.
Eurovision Song Contest entrant Felicia Eriksson said she had been targeted with multiple death threats, mainly through social media, following her public criticism of Israel’s participation.
In an interview with Norway’s VG newspaper, Eriksson said the messages included direct threats against her life as well as her family, with some stating “you should die” and calling for harm to her relatives. The Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter reported that the threats escalated after her comments on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Eriksson secured her place in Eurovision after winning Sweden’s national selection contest, Melodifestivalen, in March with the song My System. Despite this achievement, she said she would head to the competition in Vienna with “mixed feelings.”
She stated that she did not think it was appropriate for Israel to take part and explained that she had weighed whether to attend at all before deciding to go. She added, “I’m going and then I’ll have to make sure that they don’t win,” a remark that drew significant attention and backlash.
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The controversy follows a decision by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in December to allow Israel to compete in the 2026 contest. That move triggered criticism across Europe and led several public broadcasters to withdraw.
Broadcasters from Spain (RTVE), the Netherlands (NPO), Slovenia (RTVSLO), Ireland (RTE), and Iceland (RUV) pulled out of the competition in protest, reflecting a broader divide over participation rules.
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