Bulgaria's Dara wins Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna
Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest final in Austria's capital, Vienna, on Saturday night with the song Bangaranga amid a boycott by five countries over Israel's participation.
The Eurovision Song Contest described Dara as "one of the most well-known pop musicians in her country, shaping the image of contemporary Bulgarian pop with her unique voice, commanding stage presence and unrestrained genre-blending." It's the first time Bulgaria has won the contest.
Israel finished second.
Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia have pulled out of the world's biggest live music contest, now in its 70th year, in protest at Israel's involvement.
"We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X on Friday.
Dispute over Israel's Gaza campaign casts shadow over Eurovision final
The contest was the expected glitzy affair and featured a host of kitsch, upbeat pop acts. It has been marred in recent years by the dispute over Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
That war, a response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, where around 1,200 people in Israel were killed, resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The boycott means this year's contest had just 35 entries, the fewest since 2003. The final will only feature 25 acts.
Television viewing figures are expected to be lower than last year's 166 million people, which was more than the 128 million people who watched the Super Bowl.
Israel has condemned the boycott, claiming it is the target of a global smear campaign.
"We're going through some challenging times at the moment," Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green said before the final began.
Four nations boycott Eurovision over Israel inclusion
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Which countries were tipped to do well?
The overwhelming favorites going into the final were Finland's duo of violinist Linda Lampenius and singer Pete Parkkonen, with their number "Liekinheitin," or "Flamethrower."
Australia's Delta Goodrem was also expected to challenge for the trophy with her song "Eclipse." Goodrem is a household name in Australia, having sold 9 million albums, racking up number-one singles and 17 top-ten hits in her home country.
Protesters accuse Eurovision organizers of hypocrisy over Israel
Hours before the final was to get underway, hundreds marched through Vienna shouting "Free, free Palestine" and "boycott Eurovision," under heavy police presence.
They condemned Eurovision organizers, accusing them of hypocrisy for allowing Israel to compete, as Russia was excluded in 2022 for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Palestinian ambassador in Vienna, Salah Abdel Shafi, told protesters Israel's inclusion was "an insult to art, to culture, to music and to humanity."
Edited by: Rana Taha
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