The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that runs the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) requires that participating public broadcasters be relatively free (as in speech), and ESC requires songs not to be “too” political.
Belorus was disqualified in I think 2021 for sending a ridiculously pro-government song, and when their national broadcaster was asked to changed the song, they sent a different but equally unacceptable song. Having demonstrated that the broadcaster was not independent of the government of Belorus, they were disqualified and haven’t been invited back.
Russia sent a really anti-government song in 2021 - Manizha’s Russian Woman with political prisoners and dissidents projected on the stage behind the singer. In 2022 Russia was kicked out of the ESC before announcing an act for the contest. Really they were banned due to political and public pressure, stuff like “if Russia attends, my country won’t”. It was believed at the time that the Russian public broadcaster had been coopted by the government, which gave the EBU cover to kick them out.
Israel has been performing well in the ESC recently, but after their inhumane invasion of Gaza, the EBU faced significant pressure again to remove them from the contest. Being monsters is not apparently enough to get a country kicked out. Until recently the Israeli broadcaster KAN was believed to be independent, but it has been suppressed by the Netanyahu government and sent a very political song called _October Rain_by the singer Eden Golan (assumed to be named in reference to the Golan heights that Israel claims.)
EBU demanded that the song be revised or replaced. KAN resisted changing the song, but Israel’s president announced that the country would change the song. They elected to rework the song under the title Hurricane which the EBU found still too political, and Israel was kicked out.
That’s not to say there aren’t overtly political songs in the contest, despite the rules!
In 2023, Croatia sent Let 3 with Mama Sč! which is very obviously making fun of Putin, while Czechia sent Vesna with My sister’s crown about Slavic unity.
In 2016, Ukraine sent Kamala with 1944 , a song about mistreatment of crimeans in the mid century. This song won!
In 2009, Georgia sent Stephanie and 3G with We don’t wanna put in, which was disqualified.
Armenia has sent a few songs about the genocide of Armenians by the ottoman Empire. Genealogy’s Face the shadow in 2015 and Eva Rivas’s Apricot Stone
There is a long history of LGBTQ songs, too. Notably, Austria won in 2014 with Conchita Wurst (a drag queen)'s Rise like a phoenix
I’m always happy to talk about Eurovision, as you can maybe tell!
So this is an interesting comparison and topic.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that runs the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) requires that participating public broadcasters be relatively free (as in speech), and ESC requires songs not to be “too” political.
Belorus was disqualified in I think 2021 for sending a ridiculously pro-government song, and when their national broadcaster was asked to changed the song, they sent a different but equally unacceptable song. Having demonstrated that the broadcaster was not independent of the government of Belorus, they were disqualified and haven’t been invited back.
Russia sent a really anti-government song in 2021 - Manizha’s Russian Woman with political prisoners and dissidents projected on the stage behind the singer. In 2022 Russia was kicked out of the ESC before announcing an act for the contest. Really they were banned due to political and public pressure, stuff like “if Russia attends, my country won’t”. It was believed at the time that the Russian public broadcaster had been coopted by the government, which gave the EBU cover to kick them out.
Israel has been performing well in the ESC recently, but after their inhumane invasion of Gaza, the EBU faced significant pressure again to remove them from the contest. Being monsters is not apparently enough to get a country kicked out. Until recently the Israeli broadcaster KAN was believed to be independent, but it has been suppressed by the Netanyahu government and sent a very political song called _October Rain_by the singer Eden Golan (assumed to be named in reference to the Golan heights that Israel claims.)
EBU demanded that the song be revised or replaced. KAN resisted changing the song, but Israel’s president announced that the country would change the song. They elected to rework the song under the title Hurricane which the EBU found still too political, and Israel was kicked out.
That’s not to say there aren’t overtly political songs in the contest, despite the rules!
In 2023, Croatia sent Let 3 with Mama Sč! which is very obviously making fun of Putin, while Czechia sent Vesna with My sister’s crown about Slavic unity.
In 2016, Ukraine sent Kamala with 1944 , a song about mistreatment of crimeans in the mid century. This song won!
In 2009, Georgia sent Stephanie and 3G with We don’t wanna put in, which was disqualified.
Armenia has sent a few songs about the genocide of Armenians by the ottoman Empire. Genealogy’s Face the shadow in 2015 and Eva Rivas’s Apricot Stone
There is a long history of LGBTQ songs, too. Notably, Austria won in 2014 with Conchita Wurst (a drag queen)'s Rise like a phoenix
I’m always happy to talk about Eurovision, as you can maybe tell!