In a break from European Broadcasting Union (EBU) protocol, Spanish RTVE aired a message about Palestine ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest Saturday evening.
It was reported by Spanish media that RTVE was given a formal warning by the EBU after its message during the second semi-final of Eurovision, but decided to double down before the broadcast of the grand final.
Comments made by Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar during the second semifinal included, “The victims of the Israeli attacks in Gaza now exceed 50,000, including more than 15,000 children, according to the United Nations.”
Flagrantly ignoring the warning of the EBU, the Spanish national public broadcaster aired the following message before the final began: “In the face of human rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine.”
EBU’s apolitical stance
The EBU has many rules in place to prevent politics from entering the song contest, with the famous stance that music should be a uniting force.
The EBU sent a letter to RTVE according to the Spanish news source Ceuta Actualidad, “The letter, sent to Ana María Bordas, director of content at RTVE and head of the Spanish delegation, warns that political statements are expressly prohibited within the framework of the festival. The organization even threatens financial penalties if they are repeated during official broadcasts.”
RTVE has shared the following message right before their #Eurovision 2025 grand final broadcast. pic.twitter.com/3vTbNnX8Ul
— ESC Discord (@ESCdiscord) May 17, 2025
Despite the warning and potential fines, Spain remained undeterred in their desire to share their opinion on the war in Gaza.
This is not the first time Spain has felt the need to criticize Israel and its war in Gaza.
Spain’s national public broadcaster, RTVE, had formally requested the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to initiate a discussion regarding Israel’s participation in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. The request, sent to the EBU’s Director General, called for an open dialogue among all member broadcasters to address the issue.
The reason for this request, according to RTVE, is widespread concern in Spain about the ongoing conflict in Gaza. RTVE stressed that it still supports Eurovision as a cultural event but believes the EBU should consider the feelings of Spanish viewers and broadcasters who are questioning Israel’s involvement.
RTVE’s head, José Pablo López, emphasized that the request was not solely a political matter but a reflection of the concerns voiced by many in Spain from various sectors of society.
Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun previously criticized Eurovision’s handling of political issues, particularly after last year’s contest in Malmö, Sweden. He argued that many viewers felt embarrassed by the use of the event to, as he put it, “cover up a genocide.”
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