Eurovision popular vote is vulnerable to government influence
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 11
Eurovision popular vote is vulnerable to government influence
8 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 11
Data reviewed by The New York Times showed that in some countries, including Spain, only a few hundred voters could secure a televote win.
The scrutiny follows questions over whether an Israeli government advertising campaign boosted Israel's contestant last year despite strong public criticism of the Israeli government.
Organisers said there were no voting irregularities, but the report says they commissioned no outside review and withheld detailed voting data, citing contest security.
If a few hundred votes can sway a national result, is Eurovision's popular vote fundamentally broken?
As juries block Israel while Russia is banned, is Eurovision's claim of political neutrality now dead?