Vienna was chosen on Wednesday to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, the world's biggest live televised music event, Austria's public broadcaster announced, with the final set for May 16. The show has often drawn controversy, with pro-Palestinian activists staging protests during the extravaganza in Switzerland in May after Eurovision allowed Israel -- who came runner-up -- to participate in the contest despite the devastating Gaza war. Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), which topped elections for the first time ever last year but failed to form a government, has described Eurovision as a "queer, left-wing, woke spectacle" and criticised Vienna for wanting to stage it despite the high costs.
Published at: 2025-08-20 21:44:02
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