Vienna is hosting its 70th anniversary, but the "United by Music" motto is under its heaviest strain yet. Let’s look what’s behind the glitter.
With only 35 participating countries, the lowest level since 2003, the competition is struggling to survive the grit of real-world geopolitics.
Europe is witnessing its largest boycott ever, with five nations, so Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland, pulling out over Israel's inclusion.
And in a move of direct protest, Slovenia has replaced the live broadcast with a documentary series titled "Voices of Palestine."
Even inside the arena, Israel’s Noam Bettan qualified amidst a wall of both cheers and protests. It seems like this edition has become a high-stakes revenue gamble for an event that organisers claim was watched by over 160 million people around the world last year.
