Eurovision winner criticizes Israel's participation and sparks controversy
The artist "Gigi", the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, arrived in Vienna on Sunday, where he was warmly welcomed by the local press. However, the celebration of his victory with the song "Wasted Love" quickly turned into a political controversy following provocative statements he made to the Spanish newspaper "ABC".
In the interview, "Gigi" expressed his disappointment at Russia's exclusion from the competition, while Israel was allowed to participate, describing both countries as "aggressor states." He also questioned the transparency of the public voting results.
In response, ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, issued a statement distancing itself from these remarks, clarifying that what "Gigi" said reflects only his personal opinion and does not represent ORF's positions, which focuses on music and artistic performance in its participation in the competition.
As ORF pointed out, the organization of the competition is the responsibility of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which has clear rules separating politics from entertainment, and is the only body authorized to make decisions regarding the participation or exclusion of countries.
The federation had previously responded to similar criticisms from former winner "Nemo" in 2024, emphasizing the importance of freedom of expression outside the event, while promoting political messages within the competition is prohibited.
In a new comment on "Gigi"'s statements, the EBU said it understands the feelings related to the conflict in the Middle East and remains in constant communication with all participating bodies to ensure that the competition remains a global event that promotes communication, diversity, and inclusion through music.
The union added that its goal is to present Eurovision as a positive platform that shows the world what reality can be, not what it actually is. It emphasized that the EBU is an entity made up of public broadcasting bodies and not governments, and that all members have the right to participate as long as they meet the required conditions.
He emphasized that his mission is not to compare conflicts, but to support its members, pointing to his support for the Israeli institution "Kan" in light of threats to close or privatize it by the Israeli government. The union concluded by reaffirming its commitment to the comprehensive position taken by other international organizations regarding Israel's participation in global competitions.