Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have put forward proposals for a major overhaul of the way audiences vote, including moving the ballot entirely online and requiring viewers to select several favourite acts rather than repeatedly voting for a single entry.
The recommendations are outlined in a letter sent to participating broadcasters and signed by European Broadcasting Union (EBU) chief executive Jean Philip De Tender and Eurovision Reference Group chair Ana Maria Bordas. In the letter, organisers describe politically motivated voting as “persistent” and “deeply worrying”, saying the current geopolitical climate is driving support for some artists for reasons largely unrelated to their performances.
Under the current system, fans can vote up to 10 times by phone, text message or online. The proposed changes would end the ability to cast multiple votes for the same country and instead require viewers to vote for, for example, their three favourite entries. The push towards online-only voting is driven by the technical difficulty of asking audiences to choose multiple acts via text or phone calls. The UK has already made the switch to online-only voting at this year’s contest.
The move follows controversy triggered by the 2025 contest, in which Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael finished as the overall runner-up after topping the public vote despite placing 15th with the juries. Several broadcasters questioned the result, drawing attention to official Israeli government-affiliated social media accounts, including that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging fans to vote for Raphael 20 times, the maximum permitted. In response, the EBU cut the maximum number of votes to 10 for the 2026 contest, and later issued a formal warning to Israeli broadcaster Kan after videos instructed viewers to “vote 10 times for Israel”.
In the letter, the EBU acknowledged the impact on fans’ perception of the contest, writing: “Even without major paid campaigns, and with a voting system that we can vouch for, it has become clear that today’s geopolitical climate is driving votes for certain artists for reasons that have very little to do with their performances.” The organisation said the changes would “help dilute the effect of a mobilised block vote, without compromising fairness or trust”.
In a statement to BBC News, the EBU confirmed it had begun investigating a move to fully online audience voting, adding that more details would be announced in the months ahead.
Separately, the EBU revealed that Israeli cosmetics company Moroccan Oil had ended its six-year sponsorship of Eurovision, under which it supplied hairstylists and hair products to participating artists. No reason was given, although the partnership had faced criticism amid protests over Israel’s participation during the war in Gaza.
The developments come alongside other recently announced changes: broadcasters will no longer be eligible to host the event if their state is involved in an “armed conflict” or “sensitive geopolitical situation”, the minimum age for participating singers rises from 16 to 18, and stricter rules have been introduced around the use of pre-recorded vocals. It was also announced that the Bulgarian coastal city of Burgas will host the 2027 contest, with the event scheduled from 12 to 15 May, 2027.