Leader of Podemos party in Spain urges ‘all democratic countries’ to boycott Eurovision because of Israeli participation

MADRID

The leader of Spain's far-left Podemos party, which recently withdrew its support for the minority left-wing coalition government and joined the opposition, urged "all democratic countries" on Saturday to boycott Eurovision because it accepted Israel.

"If Israel, which is committing genocide, is going to Eurovision, no country that considers itself democratic and a defender of human rights should participate. It's a disgusting cover-up," Ione Belarra wrote on X.

Podemos has been making attempts since January to prevent Israel from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest because it has committed genocide in its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Podemos, which submitted a motion to parliament requesting that the Spanish Radio and Television Corporation (RTVE), through the Foreign Ministry, take the initiative to encourage Israel's exclusion from Eurovision, could not find support from other parties.

The party also sent a letter to European parliamentarians of some parties such as the United Left in Spain, the Galician Nationalist Bloc, Sumar and organizers of Eurovision, asking Israel to be banned from this year's competition due to its indiscriminate attacks in Gaza.