The European Broadcasting Union is investigating a transition to wholly online audience voting for the Eurovision Song Contest to dilute coordinated bloc voting and limit external interference, according to an internal letter reported by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
Eurovision Weighs Wholly Online Voting System
Organisers are actively exploring a complete switch to online audience voting to replace traditional telephone and text message options, according to a statement issued by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The proposed changes aim to increase engagement while diluting the effect of mobilised bloc voting without compromising fairness or trust, as outlined in an internal letter sent to member broadcasters and reported by Aftonbladet.
The potential overhaul could also introduce a requirement for voters to cast ballots for more than just a single entry, potentially forcing participants to select their top three favorite acts. This follows a recent reduction in voting capacity implemented for the contest, where the EBU lowered the number of permitted votes per payment method from 20 down to 10.
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According to reporting by the New York Times, an Israeli government agency spent at least $1 million over a two-year period on promotional campaigns linked to Eurovision public voting.
Assessing the Impact of Voting Restrictions
Kevin Cunningham, founder of the Ireland Thinks polling company, stated that reducing the maximum number of votes a person can cast would likely have only a “marginal” impact on overall outcomes.
Rob Lilley-Jones of the Eurotrip Eurovision podcast noted that while recent scoring patterns shifted, fundamental vulnerabilities remain within the platform. “The fact viewers – or anyone with a link to the Eurovision voting site – can vote ten times still allows those looking to coordinate a sustained campaign to support a certain song to manipulate the scoring and consequently the results,” Lilley-Jones said, reflecting on the contest where Israel finished third in the public vote.
Following the 2025 competition, the director of Eurovision stated that organisers would examine the promotion of acts by delegations to ensure promotional efforts do not disproportionately affect audience results.
New Host Country Rules and Geopolitical Safeguards
In addition to audience voting reforms, the EBU announced that winning countries will be barred from hosting the following year’s event if armed conflict or sensitive geopolitical situations affect their state or immediate region. Ordinarily, the winning nation automatically assumes hosting duties, as seen when Ukraine won in 2022 but yielded hosting to Liverpool, UK, in 2023 due to security concerns stemming from the Russian invasion.
Under the updated policy, the EBU will commission an independent security assessment and consult a reference group whenever an active conflict or instability threatens state safety. If hosting is deemed unsafe, the EBU will select an alternative location. The policy update addresses mounting criticism regarding participating nations involved in ongoing violence, particularly following Israel’s second-place finish in the recent contest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Eurovision considering online voting?
According to EBU statements and internal broadcaster letters, online voting is being investigated to increase voter engagement and dilute the impact of organized bloc voting and external campaign interference.
Who decides if a winning country can host the contest?
The EBU determines host eligibility by commissioning independent security assessments and consulting a reference group if armed conflict or sensitive geopolitical situations affect the winning state or its region.
How many votes can individuals currently cast?
The EBU reduced the number of votes a person can cast per payment method down to 10 for the 2026 contest.
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