Position of the Spanish Public TV and Gov

Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE defied Eurovision rules by airing pro-Palestinian messages during the 2025 contest, despite warnings of sanctions from organizers^[1][2].

Before the May 17 finale in Basel, RTVE displayed text stating “When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine”^[1:1]. Their commentators Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar also cited Gaza casualty figures during broadcasts, prompting the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to threaten financial penalties^[2:1].

The controversy escalated when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision, claiming “double standards” compared to Russia’s 2022 ban^[3]. RTVE is now requesting an audit of Spain’s public vote after Israel received maximum points, questioning the validity of the voting system^[4].

The Spanish broadcaster had previously requested formal EBU discussions about Israel’s participation in April 2025, citing “concerns raised by various civil society groups in Spain regarding the situation in Gaza”^[5]. The EBU maintained that all members remain eligible to compete while acknowledging “deeply held views around the current conflict”^[5:1].

(Andisearch Writeup)