Eurovision Overhauls Voting to Curb Tactical and Politically Motivated Votes
The Eurovision Song Contest is planning to scrap its current phone-and-text voting system and replace it with an online-only model that forces viewers to pick three acts, a change the European Broadcasting Union says is needed to stop politically motivated tactical voting.
The EBU — the alliance of public broadcasters that runs Eurovision — has written to participating members with the proposed new rules, according to reports from the BBC and Sweden's Aftonbladet (Deadline). Under the current system, viewers can cast up to 10 votes by phone, text or online. The new format would require every viewer to select three acts, making it harder to pile votes behind a single entry.
In its letter, the EBU described politically motivated voting as "persistent" and "deeply worrying" to many people (Deadline). The push for reform follows a fierce uproar in 2025, when the Israeli government encouraged supporters to register multiple votes for its contestant, Yuval Raphael. Raphael finished 15th in the jury vote but soared to second place overall on the strength of the public televote with the song "New Day Will Rise." Five countries — Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain — opted not to compete in 2025 in protest at Israel's inclusion.
The EBU has also announced a separate rule change covering who can host the contest. Any winning broadcaster will be automatically barred from hosting if an armed conflict, a sensitive geopolitical situation or any other circumstance "materially affects the security, safety or stability" of their country or immediate region (Deadline; ITV News; TRT World). The rule effectively rules out Israel or Ukraine from hosting should either win. The BBC reported as early as January 2025 that countries engaged in armed conflict would be disqualified from hosting (BBC), and a separate BBC analysis in May 2026 described the competition as facing its biggest boycott in 70 years (BBC).
The contest's political frictions extend beyond voting. Aftonbladet reported on 13 August that a beauty-brand sponsor criticised by fans will not renew its sponsorship contract (Aftonbladet). That same report detailed the EBU's planned voting overhaul. An EBU Spotlight investigation published in September 2025 documented how Israel's state-funded "hasbara" — a Hebrew term for public diplomacy or advocacy — campaigns use social media, paid influencers and military tours to shape global opinion (EBU Spotlight).
Martin Green, the Eurovision Song Contest's director, is overseeing the changes. The next edition — the 71st — is scheduled for May 2027 in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, with host broadcaster BNT running live shows on Tuesday 11 May, Thursday 13 May and Saturday 15 May. Bulgaria earned hosting rights after Dara won the 2026 contest. Israel's Noam Bettan finished second, Romania's Alexandra Căpitănescu third, Australia's Delta Goodrem fourth and Italy's Sal Da Vinci fifth (Deadline).
For fans, the changes could reshape how the contest feels on results night. An online system that demands three choices rather than ten votes for one act shifts the balance of power away from mobilised voting campaigns and back toward viewers watching the songs.
