Disqualifying Israel from the song contest would be a mistake, Austrians believe.
The future of the international song contest Eurovision 2026 is under threat of cancellation. The host country - Austria - may refuse to hold the show due to the possible exclusion of Israel from participation.
As reported by OE24, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker stated that such a decision contradicts the principles of equality and tolerance that the contest is based on.
"It is impossible for us, more than anyone else, to prohibit a Jewish artist from coming to Vienna," emphasized the politician.
The Chancellor's position was partially supported by Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig. He believes that disqualifying Israel would be a mistake, but stressed that holding the contest is important for the city and could bring significant revenue to the budget.
Earlier, the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, and Spain publicly urged the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel from Eurovision.
Meanwhile, the Austrian broadcaster ORF has already signed an agreement with the EBU and committed to hosting the event. If Austria refuses to participate in the contest, the broadcaster will have to pay a fine of about 40 million euros.
It was previously reported that the international song contest has already found itself in the midst of a political scandal.
