Overview

• The second semi-final of Eurovision 2025 takes place on May 15 at St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, with 16 countries vying for 10 final spots.
• Israel’s participation has drawn protests, with Palestinian flags and accusations of complicity in genocide seen at the opening parade in Basel.
• The European Broadcasting Union enforced a code of conduct prohibiting political statements, requiring Finland’s Erika Vikman to tone down her staging and Malta’s Miriana Conte to rename her song.
• Betting markets favor Finland’s Erika Vikman to top the semi-final, though Israel’s Yuval Raphael remains an overall favorite for the grand final.
• The grand final on May 17 will feature 26 acts, including the Big Five (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain), host Switzerland, and qualifiers from the semi-finals.