Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green CBE said: “We’ve listened and we’ve acted.”
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, and they’ll be celebrating in the host city of Vienna, Austria follow their win in 2025. Over the years, numerous things about the competition have changed. This includes the different countries who compete, various additional rules and of course how voting works.
Previously relying on jury votes, and then adding televotes in to the mix, the vote has changed yet again after accusations of unfair voting in last year’s competition.
He continued: “The neutrality and integrity of the Eurovision Song Contest is of paramount importance to the EBU, its Members, and all our audiences. It is essential that the fairness of the Contest is always protected.
“We are taking clear and decisive steps to ensure the contest remains a celebration of music and unity. The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalised.
“Alongside the changes we are announcing, we will also strengthen enforcement of our existing rules to prevent any misuse of the Contest for example through song lyrics or staging. And we will work closely with Members to ensure they fully understand and are also accountable for upholding the rules and values that define the Song Contest.”
