With engines ready to be started in Basel only a couple of weeks before the contest, discussions are still taking place in several countries on the participation to this year’s Eurovision. Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir has reiterated her support in the participation of Vaeb next May, while keeping a critical eye on the ongoing international situation.
Just as last year, voices are raising around the participation of Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest. This is fueling national debates on either boycotting or demanding the exclusion of Israel. In Iceland the Minister of Foreign Affairs Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir has declared that her country should not boycott the competition, while at the same time she is not in favour of Israel participating in Basel while war crimes are being commited in Gaza.
“At the same time, I want to emphasize that this is a decision that the European Broadcasting Union should make,” she added, before concluding: “the Russians are not participating now and everyone knows the reason. It’s not unusual for people to ask this question”.
This follows recent developments in Spain, where state television RTVE has requested a discussion on Israel’s participation within the EBU, the European Broadcasting Union. The Slovenian state television has made the same demand.
Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, media representative for the Icelandic group Væb, has welcomed the clear comments from the Minister. He notes that there are no loud protests against Iceland’s participation in the competition like last year.
Iceland in Eurovision 2025
The Icelandic duo Væb has won the Icelandic national selection to Eurovision Söngvakeppnin with the entry Róa, and will represent the Nordic country at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland next May. The two siblings have been drawn to open the first semi final on Tuesday 13 May 2025.
