Switzerland Emerges Victorious in Eurovision Amid Political Tensions and Israel Debate

Switzerland’s Nemo emerged victorious in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Sweden. The competition was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Israel's participation. The usually lively event, which is one of the most popular in the world, became chaotic as anger towards Israel's delegation escalated in the days leading up to the event.

Nemo, a crowd favorite, impressed everyone with their performance of “The Code,” a song that reflects their journey towards embracing their non-binary identity.

The competition took place in Malmo, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision success. However, the event faced unexpected political attention, leading to high tension before the final.

The Netherlands' Joost Klein performing on stage during the rehearsal of the second semi-final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, on Wednesday.

The Netherlands' Joost Klein performing on stage during the rehearsal of the second semi-final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, on Wednesday.

Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

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Eurovision has disqualified Dutch act Joost Klein due to an incident involving a female crew member.

Protesters have criticized the event, claiming it is "artwashing" Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The war has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians since it began following attacks by the militant group on Israel on October 7.

The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) strongly defended Israel's participation in the event, stating that the contest is meant to be non-political. However, tensions rose as artists, broadcasters, and fans debated over the presence of Israel's singer Eden Golan.

Shortly before the event, a contestant was disqualified. Dutch contestant Joost Klein was removed from the final due to an unspecified "incident" backstage. The EBU provided limited information about the situation, leading to backlash from upset fans who expressed their disapproval by booing EBU representatives during the final broadcast.

Bambie Thug from Ireland expressed to CNN that not excluding Israel from the event was seen as a mistake, especially considering Russia was excluded two years prior.

The Saturday night show included celebrations of ABBA and other Swedish musical stars, with performances from 26 finalists showcasing a variety of genres, languages, and styles.

But for all the celebratory scenes that closed the show, the EBU will be relieved to see a rocky week conclude.

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