Israel’s result prompts questions over voting

Israel’s success within the public vote eventually weekend’s Eurovision Track Contest has prompted calls from a string of nations to look at the outcomes and voting system.

Singer Yuval Raphael got here prime of the viewer vote on Saturday together with her ballad New Day Will Rise, however completed second total to Austria when jury scores have been additionally taken into consideration.

Broadcasters in Eire, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Iceland and Finland have since raised issues or questions in regards to the public vote, with some requesting an audit.

Eurovision organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) stated the vote had been independently checked and verified, that they took any issues critically.

Israel was ranked joint 14th by the nationwide juries, however shot up the leaderboard because of the outcomes of the telephone and on-line vote.

Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK have been among the many nations whose viewers awarded Israel the utmost 12 factors, with Eire and Finland giving 10.

Irish broadcaster RTE has requested for a full breakdown of the voting from organisers.

That got here after Spanish broadcaster RTVE stated it could request an investigation of the outcomes and a evaluate of the televoting system.

Viewers can presently vote as much as 20 occasions every by telephone, textual content or app.

Katia Segers, a Flemish MP, stated: “A system in which everyone can cast up to 20 votes is a system that encourages manipulation.

“Whether or not this manipulation occurred in our nation and all different taking part and non-participating nations should be investigated.”

A spokesperson for Flemish public broadcaster VRT said: “We now have no indication that the counting of the televotes wasn’t carried out accurately, however we’re asking for full transparency on the a part of the EBU.

“The question is above all whether the current system guarantees a fair reflection of the opinion of viewers and listeners.”

Finland’s YLE stated: “We will definitely ask the EBU whether it is time to update these rules or at least examine whether the current rules allow for abuses.”

On Tuesday, Dutch public broadcasters Avrotros and NPO issued an announcement saying the competition was “increasingly influenced by societal and geopolitical tensions”.

Israel’s involvement “raises the question of whether Eurovision still truly functions as an apolitical, unifying, and cultural event”, they stated.

In response, the competition’s director Martin Inexperienced stated organisers have been “in constant contact with all participating broadcasters” and “take their concerns seriously”.

“We can confirm that we have been in touch with several broadcasters since Saturday’s Grand Final regarding voting in the competition,” he continued.

There’ll now be a “broad discussion” with taking part broadcasters “to reflect and obtain feedback on all aspects of this year’s event”, he stated.

“It is important to emphasise that the voting operation for the Eurovision Song Contest is the most advanced in the world and each country’s result is checked and verified by a huge team of people to exclude any suspicious or irregular voting patterns.

“An impartial compliance monitor opinions each jury and public vote knowledge to make sure we have now a legitimate end result.

“Our voting partner Once has confirmed that a valid vote was recorded in all countries participating in this year’s Grand Final and in the Rest of the World.”

Eurovision News, which is operated by the EBU, stated an company of the Israeli authorities paid for adverts and used state social media accounts to encourage folks to vote for the Israeli entry.

Mr Inexperienced stated that didn’t break the principles.