Bavarian leader questions Germany’s Eurovision participation

Bavarian leader Markus Söder questioned on Friday whether Germany should participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

But unlike several other European countries, he’s not critical of Israeli participation – but Europe’s reaction to it.

“When I see how people in Europe are discussing boycotting the ESC, the European Song Contest, because Israel is participating, I say to my friends, if they don’t want to do it, then we won’t do it either.

“We never win anyway, we just have to pay for everything,” he said during his keynote speech at the conservative Christian Social Union party conference in Munich.

Söder was responding to the announcement by several countries – including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Iceland – that they did not want to participate in next year’s Eurovision in Austria because Israel was allowed to participate.

“We stand by Israel,” said Söder.