The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest, announced it will review the event’s voting system following widespread criticism. The controversy stems from Israel securing second place despite receiving low jury scores.
In a written statement, Eurovision Song Contest Director Martin Green congratulated JJ, the Austrian representative, on winning the competition with the song "Wasted Love" during the final held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17, 2025.
The controversy arose after Israel, despite ranking low in jury votes, garnered the highest number of public votes, resulting in its second-place finish. This outcome drew reactions from numerous national broadcasters and country representatives, who raised concerns about the transparency of the public voting system.
Green defended the integrity of the public vote, stating that it operates under a multilayered security framework. He emphasized that the EBU had been in discussions with its member broadcasters and assured them that the voting system was designed to prevent fraud.
He added that the public vote results were verified by an independent company. Green responded to concerns about individuals casting up to 20 votes, explaining that the mechanism was designed to allow viewers of all ages to support their favorite acts multiple times. “There is currently no evidence that this disproportionately influenced the outcome. However, concerns have been raised, and we will look into it,” he said.
Green also mentioned that the EBU would examine the promotional activities of event delegations and related parties, hinting at a broader review of the contest’s procedures.
