Road to Liverpool: Switzerland

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Switzerland.

Remo Forrer

On 20 February of this year, it was announced that Remo Forrer is going to represent Switzerland. Two weeks later, it was announced that “Watergun”, written by Ashley Hicklin, Argyle Singh and Mikolaj Trybulec, was going to be his song.

Remo Forrer rose to fame in 2020, when he won The Voice Switzerland. Born in Hemberg, Forrer was already interested in music at a young age. He learned to play the flute, the accordion and the piano. After winning The Voice, Remo released 5 singles. He was part of the show “Zeig uns dein Stimme” (I can see your voice) in 2022.

Four languages

Switzerland is a country with four languages. This year, the country will sing in English. Switzerland often chose to sing their Eurovision songs in French. Both the Swiss victories were in that language. Sometimes the songs were in German and Italian. Only one time in Eurovision history they sang in the 4th language, Romansh: in 1989 the group Furbaz sang “Viver senza tei”.

Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Switzerland was the first ever country to win the Eurovision Song Contest, back in 1956. Lys Assia won the trophy in her homecountry, in the city of Lugano. It took a long time before the Swiss won again, but in 1988 Canadian singer Celine Dion did it again. She won the trophy with “Ne partez pas sans moi” and became one of the biggest Eurovision stars ever. Switzerland often had national finals, but the last few years they select their songs internally. That lead to success in the last few years. Especially in 2019, when Luca Haenni became 4th. 

Bookmakers

The Swiss entry currently has a 13th place in the betting odds. That means Switzerland will reach the final this year and do better than the country did last year. Marius Bear ended up in the bottom of the semifinal in the festival in Turin.

The song

And of course, this is the song:

 

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Israel vs other countries: facts and rumours

The Eurovision Song Contest is facing unprecedented controversy over Israel’s participation in the 2026 edition. In recent days, several countries have announced boycott plans or issued threats tied to whether Israel is allowed to compete. Meanwhile, other countries reportedly vowed to withdraw if Israel is banned. Here we fact-check what’s confirmed and what’s rumor, providing official statements and sources for clarity. Background: Why Israel’s Participation Is Under Scrutiny Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza since October 2023 has led to public outcry and calls to suspend Israel from Eurovision. Critics argue that allowing Israel to compete “normalizes” its actions during the conflict. They compare it to Eurovision’s ban on Russia after invading Ukraine. Over the past two years, protests have targeted Israel’s Eurovision entries. Dozens of former contestants (including recent winners) have urged the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel. In response, the EBU began consulting its members on how to manage geopolitical tensions. A decision on Israel’s 2026 participation expected at its General Assembly in early December 2025 sources: aljazeera.com   jta.org. Ireland and Netherlands: Official Boycott Announcements Ireland – On September 11, 2025, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ released a public statement declaring that “Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead.” RTÉ said it would be -“unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza,”. The broadcaster cites deep concern about “the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza” and denial of media access. RTÉ added that a final decision on Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU makes its ruling on Israel. source: RTÉ The Netherlands – The next day, on September 12, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel is included. In its official statement, AVROTROS said it “can no longer justify Israel’s participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza.” Just as Ireland, the Dutch broadcaster also raised press freedom concerns and even alleged “proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government” in the 2025 contest. Several broadcasters had questioned Israel’s win in the 2025 audience vote, though Israel ultimately finished second. AVROTROS emphasized that Eurovision’s core values of peace and unity are at odds with the situation on the ground. Both Ireland and the Netherlands have made it clear: if Israel participates, they will withdraw. source: AVROTROS Slovenia’s Position: No Eurovision with Israel Slovenia became the first country to explicitly tie its 2026 participation to Israel’s status. In early July 2025, at the EBU General Assembly in London, Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTVSLO warned that if Israel was in Eurovision, “RTVSLO would not participate due to the genocide in Gaza.” This stance was officially confirmed on September 8, when RTV Slovenija announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates. Slovenia’s communications department stated they are waiting to see if the EBU bars Israel or addresses other member concerns (like voting transparency) before finalizing their decision. Conclusion: Slovenia has officially declared it will not compete if Israel is allowed to participate. source: hr Spain and Iceland: Will They Withdraw? Spain – No official withdrawal confirmation has come from Spain’s broadcaster RTVE yet. However, Spain’s government has taken a firm stand. On September 8, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said on TVE’s La Hora de La 1 that radical steps may be necessary if Israel remains in Eurovision. He noted Spain has formally requested Israel’s exclusion. Utrasun warned that if Israel is not expelled, the government would consider “measures”. He stressed that one “cannot normalize Israel’s participation … as if nothing is happening,”. Even Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly urged the EBU to ban Israel. He compared it to how no one objected when Russia was banned after invading Ukraine. Fact-check: It’s true Spain’s leaders are threatening a boycott, but as of now RTVE has not officially pulled out. The push is political. Any final withdrawal would likely need RTVE’s agreement. Source: El Mundo Iceland – Similarly, Iceland has signaled it “could” withdraw, but hasn’t officially done so. The president of Iceland’s broadcaster RÚV, Stefán Jón Hafstein, wrote an op-ed on July 1, 2025 calling for Israel’s expulsion from Eurovision. He argued Eurovision must apply the same moral standard to Gaza as it did to Ukraine. Hafstein even suggested Israeli artists could compete under a neutral flag rather than represent the state. Later, RÚV’s Director General signaled that if the EBU doesn’t heed the growing calls (from “Spain and Slovenia and others”), it “will call for reactions from these broadcasters.” In other words, if Israel isn’t excluded, Iceland (among others) may boycott as a reaction. In summary: Iceland’s broadcaster has strongly advocated for banning Israel and indicated they might pull out if Israel stays. No final withdrawal decision has been published yet. source: RÙV Rumor vs Reality: Germany, Italy & Others Backing Israel On the other side, rumors emerged that several major countries would boycott Eurovision if Israel is banned. Notably, Germany and Italy, two of Eurovision’s biggest financial contributors, were said to have privately warned the EBU in July that if Israel’s broadcaster KAN is expelled without “clear legal grounds,” they would withdraw in protest. According to a report on Israeli Channel 12 (via former Israeli delegation member Amir Alon), Germany and Italy support Israel’s continued participation and allegedly “threatened to leave the contest as well” if KAN were kicked out. The same report suggested Switzerland and Austria also side with Israel’s inclusion. If it came to an EBU vote, Greece, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus would likely “defend Israel’s right to take part.” Fact-check: These claims have not been officially confirmed by the broadcasters in question. They originated from Israeli media and anonymous sources. Germany’s broadcaster (ARD/SWR) responded to the story by publicly affirming Israel’s rightful place in Eurovision. The broadcasters are noting KAN meets EBU’s rules and has been a member since 1957. The German statement emphasized Eurovision’s values of diversity and that it’s a contest between broadcasters, not governments.

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Israel vs other countries: facts and rumours

The Eurovision Song Contest is facing unprecedented controversy over Israel’s participation in the 2026 edition. In recent days, several countries have announced boycott plans or issued threats tied to whether Israel is allowed to compete. Meanwhile, other countries reportedly vowed to withdraw if Israel is banned. Here we fact-check what’s confirmed and what’s rumor, providing official statements and sources for clarity. Background: Why Israel’s Participation Is Under Scrutiny Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza since October 2023 has led to public outcry and calls to suspend Israel from Eurovision. Critics argue that allowing Israel to compete “normalizes” its actions during the conflict. They compare it to Eurovision’s ban on Russia after invading Ukraine. Over the past two years, protests have targeted Israel’s Eurovision entries. Dozens of former contestants (including recent winners) have urged the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel. In response, the EBU began consulting its members on how to manage geopolitical tensions. A decision on Israel’s 2026 participation expected at its General Assembly in early December 2025 sources: aljazeera.com   jta.org. Ireland and Netherlands: Official Boycott Announcements Ireland – On September 11, 2025, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ released a public statement declaring that “Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead.” RTÉ said it would be -“unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza,”. The broadcaster cites deep concern about “the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza” and denial of media access. RTÉ added that a final decision on Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU makes its ruling on Israel. source: RTÉ The Netherlands – The next day, on September 12, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel is included. In its official statement, AVROTROS said it “can no longer justify Israel’s participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza.” Just as Ireland, the Dutch broadcaster also raised press freedom concerns and even alleged “proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government” in the 2025 contest. Several broadcasters had questioned Israel’s win in the 2025 audience vote, though Israel ultimately finished second. AVROTROS emphasized that Eurovision’s core values of peace and unity are at odds with the situation on the ground. Both Ireland and the Netherlands have made it clear: if Israel participates, they will withdraw. source: AVROTROS Slovenia’s Position: No Eurovision with Israel Slovenia became the first country to explicitly tie its 2026 participation to Israel’s status. In early July 2025, at the EBU General Assembly in London, Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTVSLO warned that if Israel was in Eurovision, “RTVSLO would not participate due to the genocide in Gaza.” This stance was officially confirmed on September 8, when RTV Slovenija announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates. Slovenia’s communications department stated they are waiting to see if the EBU bars Israel or addresses other member concerns (like voting transparency) before finalizing their decision. Conclusion: Slovenia has officially declared it will not compete if Israel is allowed to participate. source: hr Spain and Iceland: Will They Withdraw? Spain – No official withdrawal confirmation has come from Spain’s broadcaster RTVE yet. However, Spain’s government has taken a firm stand. On September 8, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said on TVE’s La Hora de La 1 that radical steps may be necessary if Israel remains in Eurovision. He noted Spain has formally requested Israel’s exclusion. Utrasun warned that if Israel is not expelled, the government would consider “measures”. He stressed that one “cannot normalize Israel’s participation … as if nothing is happening,”. Even Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly urged the EBU to ban Israel. He compared it to how no one objected when Russia was banned after invading Ukraine. Fact-check: It’s true Spain’s leaders are threatening a boycott, but as of now RTVE has not officially pulled out. The push is political. Any final withdrawal would likely need RTVE’s agreement. Source: El Mundo Iceland – Similarly, Iceland has signaled it “could” withdraw, but hasn’t officially done so. The president of Iceland’s broadcaster RÚV, Stefán Jón Hafstein, wrote an op-ed on July 1, 2025 calling for Israel’s expulsion from Eurovision. He argued Eurovision must apply the same moral standard to Gaza as it did to Ukraine. Hafstein even suggested Israeli artists could compete under a neutral flag rather than represent the state. Later, RÚV’s Director General signaled that if the EBU doesn’t heed the growing calls (from “Spain and Slovenia and others”), it “will call for reactions from these broadcasters.” In other words, if Israel isn’t excluded, Iceland (among others) may boycott as a reaction. In summary: Iceland’s broadcaster has strongly advocated for banning Israel and indicated they might pull out if Israel stays. No final withdrawal decision has been published yet. source: RÙV Rumor vs Reality: Germany, Italy & Others Backing Israel On the other side, rumors emerged that several major countries would boycott Eurovision if Israel is banned. Notably, Germany and Italy, two of Eurovision’s biggest financial contributors, were said to have privately warned the EBU in July that if Israel’s broadcaster KAN is expelled without “clear legal grounds,” they would withdraw in protest. According to a report on Israeli Channel 12 (via former Israeli delegation member Amir Alon), Germany and Italy support Israel’s continued participation and allegedly “threatened to leave the contest as well” if KAN were kicked out. The same report suggested Switzerland and Austria also side with Israel’s inclusion. If it came to an EBU vote, Greece, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus would likely “defend Israel’s right to take part.” Fact-check: These claims have not been officially confirmed by the broadcasters in question. They originated from Israeli media and anonymous sources. Germany’s broadcaster (ARD/SWR) responded to the story by publicly affirming Israel’s rightful place in Eurovision. The broadcasters are noting KAN meets EBU’s rules and has been a member since 1957. The German statement emphasized Eurovision’s values of diversity and that it’s a contest between broadcasters, not governments.

Read More »
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