{"id":1933290,"date":"2026-05-13T06:29:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T03:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1933290"},"modified":"2026-05-13T06:29:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T03:29:16","slug":"favourite-finland-and-israel-make-it-through-to-eurovision-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1933290","title":{"rendered":"Favourite Finland and Israel make it through to Eurovision final"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/1200x675_cmsv2_180de9a7-6a60-5172-8acb-1c1b2d427acd-9756378.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2893399-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893399\" data-cid=\"9756869\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893399-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/68\/69\/189x106_cmsv2_b883f28f-8320-5613-a920-992c675ca11b-9756869.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Conversion therapy is widely discredited as pseudo-medicine.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    End &#8216;barbaric&#8217; conversion practices now, Brussels tells EU countries\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893249-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893249\" data-cid=\"9756223\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893249-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/62\/23\/189x106_cmsv2_dd93abd6-a4e5-5aee-8d37-79b28d8719b4-9756223.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Energy Commissioner Dan J\u00f8rgensen and Cyprus' Energy minister Michael Damianos during a press conference after an informal meeting of energy ministers in Cyprus.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Energy ministers confront Europe\u2019s dependence on China\u2019s power storage\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893446-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893446\" data-cid=\"9757215\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893446-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/72\/15\/189x106_cmsv2_86093087-718b-5bff-9cec-eb532a62bee2-9757215.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ryanair is considered Europe's largest airline group\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Travel News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ryanair hits out at Fraport Greece and the \u2018German monopoly\u2019\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893403-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893403\" data-cid=\"9757084\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893403-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/70\/84\/189x106_cmsv2_1b7250ec-30ae-5b32-8e3a-f656f6e7ed1c-9757084.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: A missile system is carried during Iranian Army Day parade in front of the mausoleum of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini just outside Tehran, 18 April 2023\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Iran<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran preparing for renewed war as IRGC stages drills, reports warn\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893399-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893399\" data-cid=\"9756869\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893399-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/68\/69\/189x106_cmsv2_b883f28f-8320-5613-a920-992c675ca11b-9756869.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Conversion therapy is widely discredited as pseudo-medicine.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    End &#8216;barbaric&#8217; conversion practices now, Brussels tells EU countries\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893249-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893249\" data-cid=\"9756223\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893249-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/62\/23\/189x106_cmsv2_dd93abd6-a4e5-5aee-8d37-79b28d8719b4-9756223.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Energy Commissioner Dan J\u00f8rgensen and Cyprus' Energy minister Michael Damianos during a press conference after an informal meeting of energy ministers in Cyprus.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Energy ministers confront Europe\u2019s dependence on China\u2019s power storage\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893446-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893446\" data-cid=\"9757215\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893446-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/72\/15\/189x106_cmsv2_86093087-718b-5bff-9cec-eb532a62bee2-9757215.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ryanair is considered Europe's largest airline group\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Travel News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ryanair hits out at Fraport Greece and the \u2018German monopoly\u2019\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893403-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893403\" data-cid=\"9757084\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893403-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/70\/84\/189x106_cmsv2_1b7250ec-30ae-5b32-8e3a-f656f6e7ed1c-9757084.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: A missile system is carried during Iranian Army Day parade in front of the mausoleum of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini just outside Tehran, 18 April 2023\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Iran<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran preparing for renewed war as IRGC stages drills, reports warn\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Culture<\/p>\n<p>                          Culture news<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Favourite Finland and Israel make it through to Eurovision final<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/1536x864_cmsv2_180de9a7-6a60-5172-8acb-1c1b2d427acd-9756378.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt='Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song \"Liekinheitin\" during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, May 12, 2026.'><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song &#8220;Liekinheitin&#8221; during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, May 12, 2026.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo\/Martin Meissner<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\/Martin Meissner\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspEmma De Ruiter\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1778653756\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-05-13 08:29:16 +02:00\">13\/05\/2026 &#8211; 8:29 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"08:50\">8:50<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"Close Button\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-partage-commentaire-close\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content u-display-flex\">\n<div id=\"partage-commentaire-popup-content-container\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__container u-display-flex\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Acts from 15 countries performed their 3-minute songs onstage \u2013 often with eye-catching choreography and pyrotechnics \u2013 in a bid for votes from juries in participating nations and viewers around the world.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--culture js-article-content\">\n<p>Favourite Finland and nine other countries, including Israel, made it through the first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Acts from 15 countries performed their 3-minute songs onstage \u2013 often with eye-catching choreography and pyrotechnics \u2013 in a bid for votes from juries in participating nations and viewers around the world.<\/p>\n<p>Finland, the favourite on betting markets, made the cut with \u201cLiekinheitin,\u201d or \u201cFlamethrower,\u201d a mashup of pop singer Pete Parkkonen\u2019s anguished vocals and violinist Linda Lampenius\u2019 fiery fiddling.<\/p>\n<p>Joining them in the final on Saurday are Greece\u2019s Akylas with party-rap track \u201cFerto,&#8221; or &#8220;Bring It\u201d; Serbian goth metal band Lavina with \u201cKraj Mene\u201d; Moldovan folk-rapper Satoshi with \u201cViva, Moldova!\u201d; and \u201cAndromeda\u201d by Croatian female ensemble Lelek.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/808x539_cmsv2_58011630-5a92-57c2-8972-e4ef0d6e9397-9756378.jpg\" alt='Akylas, second left, from Greece, performs the song \"Ferto\" during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.'><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Akylas, second left, from Greece, performs the song &#8220;Ferto&#8221; during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Martin Meissner<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Belgium upset the odds to make it through, with Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden also progressing.<\/p>\n<p>Five countries were sent home after the music competition&#8217;s first night of performances. Estonia, Georgia, Montenegro, Portugal and San Marino were eliminated \u2014 despite a guest appearance by 1980s icon Boy George on singer Senhit&#8217;s San Marino song, \u201cSuperstar.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/808x539_cmsv2_2a67fcaa-0fe8-5f25-991e-0e44c7dd0d45-9756378.jpg\" alt=\"Boy George and Senhit of San Marino during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Boy George and Senhit of San Marino during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Martin Meissner<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>10 more finalists will be chosen in a second semi-final on Thursday. The UK, France, Germany and Italy automatically qualify for the final because they are among the contest\u2019s biggest funders. Austria, last year\u2019s winner, gets a place in the final as host country.<\/p>\n<h2>Biggest-ever boycott<\/h2>\n<p>This year marks the 70th edition of Eurovision, which despite its spectacle rarely escapes the politics in the background &#8211; Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Under the contest\u2019s \u201cUnited by Music\u201d motto, singers and bands from 35 countries will compete onstage in host city Vienna for the continent\u2019s musical crown. <\/p>\n<p>But divisions are clouding the contest\u2019s 70th anniversary edition, with five countries \u2014 Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland \u2014 boycotting to protest Israel\u2019s inclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli singer Noam Bettan was met with shouts of protests as well as cheers in the auditorium when he performed the rock ballad \u201cMichelle\u201d, but was one of 10 acts voted into Saturday&#8217;s final.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/808x539_cmsv2_67e05f07-243f-5cc0-88bf-3c02034ed561-9756378.jpg\" alt='Noam Bettan from Israel performs the song \"Michelle\" during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. '><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Noam Bettan from Israel performs the song &#8220;Michelle&#8221; during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Martin Meissne<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The 2024 contest in Sweden&#8217;s Malm\u00f6, and last year\u2019s event in Basel, Switzerland, saw pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be expelled over its conduct in the war in Gaza. There were also allegations it ran a rule-breaking marketing campaign to get votes for its contestant.<\/p>\n<p>The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting rules in response to the vote-rigging allegations, halving the number of votes per person to 10 and tightening safeguards against \u201csuspicious or coordinated voting activity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the EBU declined to kick Israel out, spurring five countries to announce in December that they would not participate this year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/808x539_cmsv2_3a12b9db-99e4-586d-8532-9db832a34850-9756378.jpg\" alt=\"Israeli flags waved by members of the crowd as Noam Bettan from Israel performs during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, May 12, 2026. \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Israeli flags waved by members of the crowd as Noam Bettan from Israel performs during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, May 12, 2026. <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Martin Meissner<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Several pro-Palestinian demonstrations are planned during Eurovision week, including a musical event dubbed No Stage for Genocide. Its backers urged Eurovision performers to pull out of the competition.<\/p>\n<p>The five-country boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organisers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year. <\/p>\n<p>Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania have returned after skipping the event for artistic or financial reasons in recent years, but the number of participants, at 35, is still the lowest since 2003.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Hendrickx, a media researcher at the University of Copenhagen, said any more boycotts will stress the structure of the contest and raise doubts about its future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey really are at their limits now, in terms of what they can handle with the current format,\u201d Hendrickx said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-contributors c-article-contributors-supplementary u-margin-top-2 u-padding-top-2\">\n<p>Additional sources<strong> \u2022 AP, AFP<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2891914-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2891914\" data-cid=\"9749984\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891914-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/99\/84\/480x270_cmsv2_db58b5e3-22c9-5eae-9668-ba59173d0ca5-9749984.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Vicky Leandros, winner of the 17th Eurovision Song Contest, during dress rehearsals for 70th edition in Vienna, Monday 11 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eurovision Song Contest: Who are the most popular artists of all time?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891652-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2891652\" data-cid=\"9748832\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891652-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/88\/32\/480x270_cmsv2_de2d6fd4-2dcb-5e27-ac84-2dfb101c4080-9748832.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Eurovision Song Contest stage in Vienna\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eurovision 2026 semi-finals: All you need to know<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888637-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2888637\" data-cid=\"9734309\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888637-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/43\/09\/480x270_cmsv2_53d2e4f1-42fa-5186-9503-3f720359afe6-9734309.jpg\" 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class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eurovision 2026 semi-finals: All you need to know<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888637-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2888637\" data-cid=\"9734309\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888637-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/43\/09\/480x270_cmsv2_53d2e4f1-42fa-5186-9503-3f720359afe6-9734309.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Slovenia to broadcast films about Palestine instead of Eurovision\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Slovenia to broadcast films about Palestine instead of Eurovision<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893363-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893363\" data-cid=\"9756765\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893363-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/67\/65\/320x180_cmsv2_dfc033d8-32e8-52d1-b6e6-536a6be9a1b0-9756765.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Everything you need to know about the Cannes Film Festival in just over a minute \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Everything you need to know about the 79th Cannes Film Festival<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891914-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891914\" data-cid=\"9749984\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891914-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/99\/84\/320x180_cmsv2_db58b5e3-22c9-5eae-9668-ba59173d0ca5-9749984.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Vicky Leandros, winner of the 17th Eurovision Song Contest, during dress rehearsals for 70th edition in Vienna, Monday 11 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eurovision Song Contest: Who are the most popular artists of all time?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893439-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893439\" data-cid=\"9757164\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893439-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/71\/64\/320x180_cmsv2_be8724a3-f271-5200-a9d4-d2712f808e31-9757164.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Researchers find rare and lost copy of oldest known poem in English\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The earliest known English poem has been found in an unexpected place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893318-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893318\" data-cid=\"9756479\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893318-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/31\/88\/320x180_cmsv2_f582c3be-39b3-5d31-ad01-a13422d6b86b-9753188.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Qatar National Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How hospitality shapes Qatar\u2019s Venice Biennale exhibition<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2879110-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2879110\" data-cid=\"9688373\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2879110-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/68\/83\/73\/320x180_cmsv2_818c947f-8eb9-5e4f-842f-9d27b619b2fc-9688373.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Karabakh horse\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rare Caucasian horse breed gains renewed attention in Germany<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2879110-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2879110\" data-cid=\"9688373\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rare Caucasian horse breed gains renewed attention in Germany<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893292-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893292\" data-cid=\"9756378\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Favourite Finland and Israel make it to Eurovision final<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893063-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893063\" data-cid=\"9755253\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Doing regular cultural activities linked to slower ageing, study finds<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2869731-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2869731\" data-cid=\"9648318\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;A heartbreaking loss&#8217;: Celebrities pay tribute to James Van Der Beek<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2892745-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2892745\" data-cid=\"9753791\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Nearly renovated Theological School of Halki faces fight to reopen<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Favourite Finland and nine other countries, including Israel, made it through the first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final on Tuesday.Acts from 15 countries performed their 3-minute songs onstage \u2013 often with eye-catching choreography and pyrotechnics \u2013 in a bid for votes from juries in participating nations and viewers around the world.Finland, the favourite on betting markets, made the cut with \u201cLiekinheitin,\u201d or \u201cFlamethrower,\u201d a mashup of pop singer Pete Parkkonen\u2019s anguished vocals and violinist Linda Lampenius\u2019 fiery fiddling.Joining them in the final on Saurday are Greece\u2019s Akylas with party-rap track \u201cFerto,&#8221; or &#8220;Bring It\u201d; Serbian goth metal band Lavina with \u201cKraj Mene\u201d; Moldovan folk-rapper Satoshi with \u201cViva, Moldova!\u201d; and \u201cAndromeda\u201d by Croatian female ensemble Lelek.Belgium upset the odds to make it through, with Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden also progressing.Five countries were sent home after the music competition&#8217;s first night of performances. Estonia, Georgia, Montenegro, Portugal and San Marino were eliminated \u2014 despite a guest appearance by 1980s icon Boy George on singer Senhit&#8217;s San Marino song, \u201cSuperstar.\u201d10 more finalists will be chosen in a second semi-final on Thursday. The UK, France, Germany and Italy automatically qualify for the final because they are among the contest\u2019s biggest funders. Austria, last year\u2019s winner, gets a place in the final as host country.Biggest-ever boycottThis year marks the 70th edition of Eurovision, which despite its spectacle rarely escapes the politics in the background &#8211; Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Under the contest\u2019s \u201cUnited by Music\u201d motto, singers and bands from 35 countries will compete onstage in host city Vienna for the continent\u2019s musical crown.But divisions are clouding the contest\u2019s 70th anniversary edition, with five countries \u2014 Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland \u2014 boycotting to protest Israel\u2019s inclusion.Israeli singer Noam Bettan was met with shouts of protests as well as cheers in the auditorium when he performed the rock ballad \u201cMichelle\u201d, but was one of 10 acts voted into Saturday&#8217;s final.The 2024 contest in Sweden&#8217;s Malm\u00f6, and last year\u2019s event in Basel, Switzerland, saw pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be expelled over its conduct in the war in Gaza. There were also allegations it ran a rule-breaking marketing campaign to get votes for its contestant.The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting rules in response to the vote-rigging allegations, halving the number of votes per person to 10 and tightening safeguards against \u201csuspicious or coordinated voting activity.\u201dBut the EBU declined to kick Israel out, spurring five countries to announce in December that they would not participate this year.Several pro-Palestinian demonstrations are planned during Eurovision week, including a musical event dubbed No Stage for Genocide. Its backers urged Eurovision performers to pull out of the competition.The five-country boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organisers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year.Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania have returned after skipping the event for artistic or financial reasons in recent years, but the number of participants, at 35, is still the lowest since 2003.Jonathan Hendrickx, a media researcher at the University of Copenhagen, said any more boycotts will stress the structure of the contest and raise doubts about its future.\u201cThey really are at their limits now, in terms of what they can handle with the current format,\u201d Hendrickx said.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2026\/05\/13\/favourite-finland-and-israel-make-it-through-to-eurovision-final&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/63\/78\/1200x675_cmsv2_180de9a7-6a60-5172-8acb-1c1b2d427acd-9756378.jpg&#8221;] Europe News End &#8216;barbaric&#8217; conversion practices now, Brussels tells EU countries Europe News Energy ministers confront Europe\u2019s dependence on China\u2019s power storage Travel News Ryanair hits out at Fraport Greece and the \u2018German monopoly\u2019 Iran Iran preparing for renewed war as IRGC stages drills, reports warn Europe News End &#8216;barbaric&#8217; conversion practices [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1933290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1933290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1933290"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1933290\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1933290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1933290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1933290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}