Several countries have threatened to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel is allowed to participate. And yesterday EBU has called its member countries to an extraordinary meeting in November to vote on whether Israel should be allowed to participate in Vienna next May.
In light of that SVT’s Kulturnyheterna (culture news section) pressed SVT CEO Anne Lagercrantz for a comment. Lagercrantz says that SVT seeks certain guarantees, but does not want to take a position on the issue of Israel’s participation.
“SVT is independent”
Kulturnyheterna has repeatedly contacted SVT’s CEO Anne Lagercrantz to ask how SVT views Sweden’s participation in the competition.
Now Lagercrantz responds in an email. Any threat of boycott in relation to Israel’s participation is not an issue, she writes.
“Many people want to know where SVT stands. SVT is independent – that is one of our cornerstones. We do not take a political position. It is we and no one else who makes the decision about our participation in ESC and the choices we make should not be interpreted as a position for or against any other country’s public service broadcaster or for or against any other country’s participation.”
Three fundamental conditions
Anne Lagercrantz highlights three “fundamental conditions” for the competition. They are described as important for how SVT will act.
She writes that broad European support for the competition is needed. The safety of participants and spectators must be guaranteed and the competition should, as far as possible, be apolitical in accordance with EBU rules.
“We understand that many people want an immediate answer to what SVT will do and there are many opinions about what is the right way. SVT’s participation is conditional on the basic conditions being in place. We will therefore spend time listening to the EBU and other member companies.
It is to show respect both for a difficult issue and for a beautiful idea of a cultural arena that wants to unite people through music.”
Interestingly enough those are the same three conditions with almost the same wording that Danish broadcaster DR laid out a week ago, suggesting that the Scandinavian broadcasters are in coordination or at least aligning their views on the matter with each other.
Took a stand against Russia 2022
Anne Lagercrantz emphasizes that it is public service broadcasters, not countries, that compete in Eurovision.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, SVT’s then CEO Hanna Stjärne came out and called on the EBU to exclude Russia from the competition. Kulturnyheterna asked the current CEO Lagercrantz in that regard:
– In what way is there a difference now?
“Because the Russian public service companies are part of the state. They are part of Putin’s propaganda machine. They are not independent.”
– There was a different consensus in the West that Russia’s war in Ukraine is wrong. Was it easier for SVT to take a position then?
“The public service companies are part of the Russian state and a propaganda machine. So in that way you could possibly say it’s easier.”
Melodifestivalen 2026
The traditional Melodifestivalen has already been announced for 2026 in six cities, with the final taking place as usual in Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena on 7 March. 3,888 songs have been submitted for the Swedish musical juggernaut and the artists will be revealed in mid-late November 2025.
Maybe they prefer fewer countries taking part so they can have their 8th win. Maybe
Not doing nothing is a political stance. But for the Swedes is a typical move, they did the same in WWII while the Germans invaded half of Europe. Thank you Sweden for not doing nothing…AGAIN! /s
At the end if the day I think they will vote for no Israel or at least ” cancel” their vote which also is a no.
That’s what the statement hints at. They can’t just say ” we want Israel out” because SVT would see it as political. This way they buy time for the actual voting. If they said it now all sorts of critique would come to them
I keep saying that Kan’s reporting on the genocide should be analysed, and if found contrary to the facts, then OUT. We all know it is a contest for broadcasters, not governments, so let’s judge the broadcaster. I’m fairly confident they deserve expulsion based on their own actions.
TRUE!
I disagree wholeheartedly, but at least they are seriously considering the matter and not submitting to groupthink.
I find it disheartening that so many countries think a music contest is more important than saying ‘no’ to genocide. Have you no basic decency or human compassion?
That is not what the countries are saying by voting for Israel’s participation. If people really would like to help the Palestinian people that are much better ways to accomplish that than voting fo or against a country in a music competition.
Sweeden 0 points!!
We have a current government who has threatned to withdraw fundings for SVT because they think SVT is “left-wing propaganda”
that can explain why SVT is so afraid taking side, I also think that SVT should take side here, I´m just explaining that it isn´t so easy as you might think
Cowards.
Kahn is part of the state of isreal and aligned with netunyahu political stance so again what is the difference to russian??
KAN is actually on very bad terms with Bibi and the government is constantly attacking them. The only way they are aligned is that they support Israel defending itself which is quite natural.
They’ve hardly been critical of the events in Gaza or the overall occupation though. They might not be on good terms with Bibi but that doesn’t mean they are against what is happening either.
They’ve had some very controversial things said on their shows regarding this. They are no different.
They are also the public broadcaster, meaning it’s owned by the government so to say they’re fully independent is incredibly misleading and naive
swedish cowards, withdraw is the only good choice to make
And by saying that SVT just took a political stance.
THIS!
We gotta keep it real guys. Svt only acts quickly for real serious situations. Like the ‘perceived’ threatening gesture towards a woman from the netherlands in 2024.
That was not svt, that was EBU.
And yes, at this point, it is absolutely justified to compare this situation to the one with Russia.
It’s not comparable in any way. Russia is an agresor who attacked its neighbour without any provocation. Israel is defending itself after a brutal attack, like any country on the planet would.
Lies won’t become truth just because you keep repeating them.
Your whole first paragraph is a lie. You should practice what you preach.
“Lies won’t become truth just because you keep repeating them”. The rest of the world can’t be all wrong.
What are you saying? Morally what Israel has been doing since the 70s with the endemic population of Palestinians and Christians is way worse that the Russian-Ukraine war. No question about that. At least the Ukraine can defend themselves and scape death. This is a genocide. Think about that. A genocide
Here’s hoping broadcasters such as from Ireland and Iceland follow Sweden’s model to keep the contest pleasant and focus on music, and that Spain especially will learn to adhere to what she explains about Russia’s government for example pressuring and censoring its broadcasters and how SVT is independent from the government in ways it can criticize it, like Kan and other briadcaster do in their countries.
KAN receives it’s money directly from the israeli government just like most competing broadcasters. Everybody stating that the israeli broadcaster is full on independant is simply lying.
You can state they are independant but then the entries they’ve send the last two years clearly try to portray their country in a specific victim narrative and are clearly everything but apolitical.
You mean that you’re deflecting a portray of Israel and even tying Kan as a sole aggressor to whitewash the other side aggression and ongoing attacks in a failure to fool anyone to the narrative of only the other side and even its infamous regim being the victim. BTW, remember Yuval Raphael and her story? Or will she also be portrayed as an aggressor or faking being attacked…? Same goes for straw-hanging argument which boomerangs to prove that Kan is being financially handled like most other broadcasters. Plus Kan is actually heavily funded, and maybe mostly funded, by direct public… Read more »
If this version of reality is based on news from KAN then I do consider they should be banned. It’s so out of this world
So you claim that there is no counter aggressor, the same one which invaded Israel and proudly filmed itself killing and torturing, and which keeps doing so to this day – both on Israel and its own citizens. Along with 6 other proxies for the past 2 years. So all this doesn’t exist in your book. All this IS SO OUT OF YOUR WORLD as if they literally don’t exist in this world. You have just proved what kind of reality you are being fed by the country’s broadcaster and media which you live in/watch (probably a former global conquering… Read more »
Please do tell, what is exactly out of this world – that there is another aggressor which invaded and still attacks? That Yuval Raphael is proof of that? That Kan is funded by tax payers like all public broadcasters? That the backlash and toxicity boomerangs in the form of the highest televote? That Switzerland and Austria are good songs? Or that all this is true and it’s your mind which flew out of this world?
Grow up. You are a child.
Darren… Your relentless tactics to try intimidating others isn’t impressing anyone, on the contrary. Moreover, the swinish platforms you give yourself to post hundreds of comments here, and negative ones, including downright ad-huminam calling others “worthless” “little kids”, “slow”… only reflect on you. Your very comment here which doesn’t address any issues but trying to throw a 1-liner to CHILDISHLY insult someone else, speaks volumes aong with a lot of self bitterness and not eeally caring for any positive atmosphere, not here nor at Eurovision or any event.
I don’t intimidate anyone. Again, grow up.
you post naive pro-Israel trash constantly. Trying to gaslight everyone. Grow TF up!
Israel says thank you. Stances like these will only lead to a remain vote. This does show one thing: it’s not just the EBU, Europe’s broadcasters are rotten to the core all over.
Great, that’s how it should be approached for management people actually being responsible for keeping this and other events positive, let alone keep their survival. This is with the hope that broadcasters especially like Ireland and Iceland won’t cause again unsafe and unpleasant conditions as with their former repreanratives and political vibes smeared all over the contest while spreading missinfo or just ignorance about all sides and factors of the conflict itself. With this, Thanks for fighting the phony comparisons between Israel and Russia, in general and specifically in ESC, by letting her professionally voice the differentiation between the broadcasters.… Read more »
Israel and Russia comparisons are valid.
Israel is behaving completely savage. To still be supporting them after EVERYTHING they’ve done and openly said speaks volumes about you.
You’re either incredibly stupid or delusional. Either way you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Says the one who advocated for entities like Iran to participate in Eurovision when they literally threaten the world and freedom values, the main octopus-operator in this very mid-east conflict, and anti-LGBTQ – where you expressed that if they join Eurovision you “believe” they will learn to get better and “open up”. Now imagine that you just told someone else he is “incredibly stupid and delusional” for defending a democracy which has its flaws but that its broadcaster still also wants to participate in Eurovision… and imagine while you whitewash the other atrocious side in the conflict as you attempted… Read more »
What are you on about you absolute clown. I have never advocated Iran to take part in Eurovision. Not seriously anyway. I’d said was as a joke.
dream on you absolute melt
Haha… “melt”, another reflective Irish slang. So now you say you “never Said about Iran”, only to then say you did as a “joke”, and overall showing your own melt. Keep reflecting yourself in the boomerang-bingo of your attempted insults. 🙂
Hmm. I see it as both SVT and DR simply have not decided yet. They probably won’t decide until the day of the voting and in agreements with the other Nordic broadcasters as usual. Whatever they decide so will SVT
SVT must remain neutral by law and local customs. Having lived in Sweden before and understanding how things work over there, I’m confident their stance will not change. This principle is embedded deeply in the society.
The comment about Russia is odd… isn’t what she said the exact same for KAN and Israel? KAN is part of Israeli propaganda…
No, KAN is independent and in fact at odds with government on many issues.
That’s an absolute lie lol. Don’t sprout nonsense. They might somewhat be at odds but they without a doubt help spread governmental pro-Israel propaganda
Do better.
as one of the first European Union nations in post Cold War modern times to recognize a Palestinian state, this feels like regression.
Of course the Swedes practically run this contest and have a lot to gain from being part of it. They themselves might not use it as a political instrument however they certainly use it for soft power projection.
do better Sweden. The Nordics usually lead the way in human rights and welfare. This is a disappointing step.
The swedish government recognised Palestine in 2014, but SVT kept being “neutral” talking about the West Bank and Gaza instead of Palestine. When we discuss Eurovision we sometimes forget that broadcasters are not the same as nations. Still KAN does not report independent on what is going on so they should not participate.
Kan very much reports on everything, from condemning the enemy aggressor to criticize actions of the government, and I know about this variety and coverage just from watching segments on YouTube, so imagine how much they do so on daily basis and stop making up bull when you obviously never watched Kan. Rather, the broadcaster you watch is probably the one feeding you with lies that Kan isn’t independent, which shows that this is the one which should be expelled from Eurovision.
For their actions in the contest the last two years alone, even without referencing Gaza, KAN should not be participating in this.
I’m just putting here: watch all the comments be complaining
Well obviously.
The vast majority of fans want Israel removed from the contest. But the broadcasters and the EBU are making it a divisive and political issue by showing their hypocrisy compared to Russia.
Yes we will complain. We are allowed to.
I guess your opinion is vast majority.