The decision by Swiss singer Nemo, the 2024 Eurovision winner, to return their glass microphone trophy to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the latest and most dramatic development in the ongoing political fallout surrounding Israel's participation in the contest. Nemo, the first openly non-binary winner, stated that the EBU's refusal to expel Israel—citing a "clear conflict" between the competition’s stated values of "unity, inclusion, and dignity for all" and Israel's conduct in the Gaza conflict—means the trophy no longer belongs on their shelf. They explicitly stated this protest is not against individual artists but against the contest being used to "soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing." The move, made via an Instagram video, is a powerful personal statement that injects the debate directly into the contest's Hall of Fame.
The immediate relevance of Nemo's protest is the further destabilization of the Eurovision Song Contest, a cultural event that prides itself on being "non-political" but is now facing an unprecedented level of political division. The act follows a recent EBU General Assembly vote to keep Israel in the 2026 competition. In response, five national broadcasters—Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia—have already announced they will boycott next year's event. This growing wave of withdrawals and high-profile protests deepens the crisis for the EBU, making the 2026 contest, slated for Vienna, one of the most politically turbulent in its history. The organization's official response was to express sadness but to respect Nemo’s "deeply held views," maintaining the position that the contest is apolitical despite the mounting boycotts and direct rebuke from a reigning champion.
