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. 3,880 songs have been submitted for the Swedish musical juggernaut and the artists will be revealed in mid-late November 2025.
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.
And yes, at this point, it is absolutely justified to compare this situation to the one with Russia.
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.
Grow up. You are a child.
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.
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
The comment about Russia is odd… isn’t what she said the exact same for KAN and Israel? KAN is part of Israeli 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.
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.