Bulgaria Wins Eurovision, Israel Second Amid Boycott
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- Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time with Darina Yotova (Dara) and the song “Bangaranga.”
- Israel finished second, with Noam Bettan performing “Michelle,” amid a boycott by Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia over Israel’s war in Gaza.
- Fans numbered around 10,000 at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle for the final.
- Eurovision organizers tightened voting rules after allegations of an Israeli lobbying campaign.
- Broadcasters such as Spain’s RTVE and Belgium’s VRT announced boycotts or threatened future non‑participation unless the European Broadcasting Union holds a direct vote on Israel’s participation.
Why it matters: Bulgaria gains a historic cultural victory, while Israel faces diplomatic backlash; the boycott and tightened voting rules signal rising politicization of Eurovision, potentially reshaping future participation and broadcaster involvement.
