German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ignited a fierce debate across Europe by declaring that Germany may boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel is excluded from participating. In a candid interview on ARD's 'Caren Miosga' talk show on October 5, 2025, Merz was unequivocal: "If Israel is excluded, I would not support taking part." He went further, describing the very discussion of Israel’s exclusion as "a scandal," insisting, "Israel has a place there." According to euronews, Merz’s remarks reflect a staunch position at a time when the contest is increasingly entangled in the wider political fallout from the ongoing war in Gaza.
Germany's potential withdrawal from Eurovision would be no small matter. As one of the contest’s "Big Five"—the group of countries that automatically qualify for the Grand Final due to their significant financial contributions—Germany wields considerable influence within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The country has been a fixture at the competition since its inception in 1956, missing only the 1996 edition due to a failed qualifying attempt and the 2020 contest, which was cancelled. Over the decades, Germany has finished in the top three an impressive thirteen times and has won twice: first in 1982 with Nicole’s "Ein Bisschen Frieden" and again in 2010 when Lena’s "Satellite" stormed to victory with 246 points.
This year, Germany was represented by Abor & Tynna with the song "Baller," which automatically qualified for the Grand Final and ultimately finished in 15th place with 151 points. As euronews notes, the German broadcaster SWR, responsible for organizing Germany’s participation in 2026, has emphasized its commitment to the EBU’s consultation process. "The ESC has been a major musical event for decades, connecting people across Europe and beyond through diversity, respect, and openness, regardless of origin, religion, or beliefs. It is a competition organized by EBU broadcasters, not by governments," SWR told The Euro Trip on behalf of ARD. The broadcaster added, "As a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), ARD supports the consultation process that has been initiated and the decisions to be made by the EBU. The goal is to reach a well-founded and sustainable agreement that aligns with the values of the EBU."
The debate over Israel’s participation has intensified against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza. According to euronews and other sources, the conflict has killed at least 67,173 Palestinians and rendered much of the enclave uninhabitable. The humanitarian crisis has fueled outrage across Europe, with broadcasters in Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia calling for Israel to be banned from the contest. Protests have erupted around Eurovision venues in Sweden and Switzerland, which hosted the contests in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Some winners, including 2024’s Nemo and 2025’s JJ, have also criticized Israel’s continued inclusion in the competition.
The EBU now faces an unprecedented challenge. The organization has scheduled a special online vote in November 2025 to decide Israel’s fate in the contest, acknowledging what it calls an "unprecedented diversity of views" on the matter. The General Assembly will address not only the controversy over Israel’s participation but also the possibility of a cascade of withdrawals. Should Germany pull out, it would mark one of the most significant moments in Eurovision’s modern history. As That Eurovision Site reports, the potential for a domino effect is real: Spain, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland have all threatened to withdraw if Israel participates, while Germany’s stance is the reverse—threatening withdrawal if Israel is excluded.
Merz’s position is rooted in Germany’s longstanding relationship with Israel. During his ARD interview, he doubled down on this commitment, stating, "Germany's solidarity with Israel has never been in question," and adding, "my personal feelings towards Israel are entirely positive." However, Merz did not shy away from criticizing some of Israel’s actions in Gaza, describing them as having gone "too far." This nuanced stance is echoed in German policy: while Germany temporarily halted arms exports to Israel in August 2025, it has since resumed them, and alongside other European states, has called for Israel to halt a new offensive on Gaza City.
The calls to exclude Israel from Eurovision are part of a much broader movement. Since the war began in October 2023, activists have demanded Israel’s expulsion from a range of international cultural and sporting events, citing the precedent set by Russia’s removal from Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The movement extends to artist boycotts, appeals for FIFA and UEFA to ban Israel from football, and calls for academic institutions to sever ties with Israeli universities.
The controversy has underscored the increasingly political nature of Eurovision, a contest that once prided itself on being above the fray of international disputes. As the EBU prepares for its November vote, the stakes could hardly be higher. If Germany, one of Eurovision’s founding and most influential members, follows through on its boycott threat, the contest’s future as a symbol of pan-European unity and cultural exchange could be called into question.
Meanwhile, the debate continues to roil the wider Eurovision community. According to euronews, former NRK employees in Norway have urged a boycott, and it remains to be seen whether more countries will join the growing list of those considering withdrawal. The EBU faces the daunting task of balancing its stated values of diversity and openness with the political realities of a deeply divided continent.
For now, all eyes are on the upcoming EBU General Assembly. Will the organization find a way to reconcile its members’ sharply divergent views, or will the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 be remembered as the year politics finally tore apart Europe’s biggest musical spectacle? With Chancellor Merz’s words still echoing—"Israel has a place there"—the answer will shape not only the future of the contest but also the broader conversation about culture, politics, and solidarity in Europe.
As the EBU weighs its decision, the world watches, aware that the outcome will reverberate far beyond the stage. The fate of Eurovision 2026 hangs in the balance, caught between calls for justice, the weight of history, and the enduring hope that music might yet bring people together—even in the most divided of times.
