Eurovision 2025: Was Israel's Success Rigged?

Eurovision 2025: Controversy Erupts Over Israel's Win The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has been marred by controversy following Israel's second place finish. European broadcasters and politicians are questioning the fairness of the results, citing a significant discrepancy between the public televote and jury scores for Israel. Israel received a staggering 297 points from the public televote, the highest of the night, yet only 60 points from the juries. This large gap has led to accusations of bias and manipulation. Adding fuel to the fire, the Israeli government agency ran a targeted advertising campaign on YouTube, garnering over 8 million views. The campaign urged international viewers to vote for Israel. "I voted 60 times for Israel!" tweeted one user, Parmis (@ParmisJavan), highlighting the ease with which some viewers circumvented the contest's 20 votes per device limit. This suggests widespread attempts to manipulate the voting system. Despite the allegations, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) insists its voting system is 'the most advanced in the world' and that it is 'strongly committed to securing the fairness of the Eurovision Song Contest.' However, the EBU's response has not quelled the concerns of many, and calls for a full investigation are growing louder. The incident raises important questions about the integrity of international voting systems and the role of national governments in such events. The EBU's commitment to transparency and fairness will be tested as investigations proceed.