Overview
- Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael won the public televote at Eurovision 2025 but placed second overall after jury votes favored Austria's JJ.
- Spain and Belgium's public broadcasters have formally requested an audit of Eurovision's televoting process, citing concerns over potential manipulation and transparency issues.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel's exclusion from international cultural events, likening its situation to Russia's ban after the Ukraine invasion.
- Protests disrupted Israel's performance during the contest, with pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempting to storm the stage and raising concerns about Eurovision's claim of neutrality.
- The European Broadcasting Union defends the voting system as advanced and independently monitored but faces growing demands for reform and greater transparency from several participant nations.