Bulgaria Wins Eurovision 2026 Amidst Boycotts and Protests

VIENNA — Bulgaria won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, beating Israel to victory on a dramatic night in Vienna that was marred by several countries boycotting.

Bulgaria won with 516 points, and will now host the competition in 2027. DARA, who represented Bulgaria with the upbeat “Bangaranga,” topped both the jury and public votes. Israel’s Noam Bettan, performing “Michelle,” came second with 343 points, in a nail-biting finish.

The 70th edition of the iconic song contest was tainted by controversy surrounding Israel’s participation, which prompted five countries to stage a boycott of the event, plunging Eurovision into its deepest — and ongoing — political crisis in years.

Tensions over Israel’s participation in the contest flared up earlier in the week, when artist Noam Bettan performed pop-ballad “Michelle” to audible boos and chants during the semifinal. Four audience members had to be removed for “disruptive behavior,” according to organizers.

It was Bulgaria’s first victory in the competition, having debuted in 2005. Bulgaria was returning in 2026 after a four-year break from the contest due to financial constraints at the public broadcaster.

Bulgaria’s booming dance anthem was a high-energy crowd pleaser in Vienna, but wasn’t originally tipped to win, up against more favored entries from Finland or Australia.

The countries sitting out this year (Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland) said their decision was due to Israel’s war in Gaza — which was sparked by a violent attack on Israel by Hamas militants — and the resulting humanitarian crisis it has triggered.

Demonstrators also marched through Vienna on Saturday protesting Israel’s inclusion in the contest, chanting “boycott Israel, boycott ESC [Eurovision Song Contest]” and “no stage for genocide.”

Later Saturday night, a separate protest against Israel’s participation resulted in 14 people being arrested, Vienna police confirmed. Police said the individuals were arrested because they would not remove masks that concealed their identity.

The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, has repeatedly underlined that the song contest is not political and that any member broadcaster that follows the EBU rules is eligible to participate.

Eurovision is “apolitical” but is “so big an event that it has a political impact,” EBU Deputy Director General Jean Philip De Tender told POLITICO on Friday.

The EBU overhauled the Eurovision voting system this year, following suggestions that the Israeli government unfairly influenced last year’s results through a mass voting campaign. Israel’s national broadcaster KAN denied those claims.

Speaking ahead of Saturday night’s final, Eurovision chief Martin Green told journalists that the voting system is “fair and secure.”