The Eurovision Song Contest final in Malmo, Sweden, was surrounded by tension and protests over Israel’s involvement in the competition. There were confrontations between the police and pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the arena, but once the final began, the focus shifted to the usual high-camp spectacle of singers and dancers performing on stage. Nemo, representing Switzerland, won the competition with their catchy track “The Code,” becoming the country’s first Eurovision winner since Celine Dion in 1988.
Nemo, a nonbinary performer who rapped and sang operatically about their journey to realizing their identity, received 591 points from music industry juries and viewers, beating out Baby Lasagna from Croatia who came in second. Israeli singer Eden Golan, who was the subject of protests leading up to the event, finished fifth with 375 points. Despite some boos from the audience during Golan’s performance, the Eurovision contest remained focused on the artists and their music rather than geopolitical controversies.
Pro-Palestinian groups and Eurovision fans had tried to get the European Broadcasting Union, the contest’s organizers, to ban Israel from participating due to its actions in Gaza. While there were calls for Israel to be excluded from the competition, the European Broadcasting Union maintained that Eurovision is a contest between singers, not nations. Israel, a member of the European Broadcasting Union, has competed in Eurovision since 1973, winning four times. The final of the competition attracts a live TV audience in the tens of millions.
In the lead-up to the final, controversy surrounded Israel’s participation, with bans on displaying symbols that could incite dissent, including Palestinian flags. Despite the restrictions, gestures of support for the Palestinian cause were occasionally made on stage. The contest faced another controversy when the Netherlands’ entry, Joost Klein, was banned just hours before the final due to alleged threats toward a Eurovision employee. The Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS objected to Klein’s disqualification, stating that the organizers’ actions were disproportionate.
Despite the controversies and tensions surrounding the Eurovision final, the evening ended on an optimistic note. Nemo, the winner of the competition, expressed hope that the contest would continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in the world. The uproar and protests surrounding Israel’s involvement in the competition dissipated during the final performances, allowing the focus to return to the music and spectacle of the Eurovision Song Contest.
