Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar, presenters of the Spanish Eurovision programme.
Credit: Screenshot from show.
In an unashamed and aggressive breach of the European Broadcasting Union’s (who manage the Eurovision Song Contest) protocol, the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE aired pro-Palestinian messages during the Eurovision Song Contest, leading to a formal warning and threats of financial penalties.
The controversy began during the second semifinal when Spanish commentators Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar, the TV presenters of the show in Spain, stated, ‘The victims of the Israeli attacks in Gaza now exceed 50,000, including more than 15,000 children, according to the United Nations,’ against strict rules from the Eurovision organisation to keep politics out of the competition.
Despite the EBU’s warning, RTVE doubled down, broadcasting before the grand final: ‘In the face of human rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine.’ The EBU, which strictly enforces an apolitical stance to ensure music remains a uniting force, responded with a letter to RTVE’s content director, Ana María Bordas. According to Spanish news outlet Ceuta Actualidad, the letter explicitly prohibited political statements during the festival, threatening sanctions for further violations. RTVE’s actions have sparked debate over freedom of expression versus the EBU’s commitment to neutrality.
In 2024’s competition, the team from Ireland’s entry, Barbie Thug, booed the Israeli singer. This year, Ireland, for the first time in living memory, did not make it past the first semi-finals. Melody, 2025’s Spanish hopeful, was tipped to score highly but only came 24th.
The points system is made up of two sides – a jury from the music industry and the popular vote from fans of the show who message in. Israel’s entry in 2025 was Yuval Raphael, who had survived the attack by Hamas gunmen on October 7, 2023, by hiding under a dead body, came second in the competition after winning the popular vote.
The incident poses questions about ongoing tensions surrounding political messaging at Eurovision, a platform historically designed to bring together nations in unity. It also suggests that those flagrantly breaking the competition’s rules might be out of touch with the audiences following the competition itself.
As the fallout continues, questions remain about how the EBU will enforce its rules and whether RTVE will face further consequences in the coming year.
