French Eurovision contestant Slimane delivered an impromptu speech about peace during a rehearsal performance. In place of his a capella section, he stated: “We must be United by Music, yes, but with love and peace. Everyone wants to sing their song but they want to be united by love and peace.” Although the competition has rules forbidding political statements, there is no word yet on whether Slimane will face any penalty. The message may relate to the inclusion of Israel, which has caused controversy due to their involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Meanwhile, Dutch contestant Joost Klein has been disqualified from the contest after allegedly verbally threatening a female member of production crew. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has called the decision “disproportionate”. They described the incident as resulting from Klein’s irritation at being filmed, when he had just come off stage and was rushing to the greenroom. Klein reportedly indicated that he did not want to be filmed and made a threatening action towards the camera.
In another Eurovision controversy, the Irish contestant, Bambie Thug, reportedly complained to EBU about Israeli broadcaster KAN’s commentary on their performance, which they claimed breached the rules of the competition. Bambie stated: “I hope the EBU will address it correctly.” In response to these issues, Bambie has called for Eurovision organisers to take a human approach when dealing with political issues affecting the contest.
Although the competition is renowned for its glitzy and glamorous performances, these controversies have caused significant disruption in the lead up to the event. While artists may be unified by their love of music, it remains to be seen whether peace will prevail in this year’s Eurovision
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