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Bulgaria Wins Eurovision for First Time as Dara Sweeps Jury and Public Votes

Boycotts over Israel turned the contest into a test of Eurovision’s voting system.

Overview

  • Dara, who triumphed Saturday in Vienna, scored 516 points with Bangaranga to deliver Bulgaria’s first Eurovision title after topping both the juries and the televote.
  • Israel’s Noam Bettan finished second with 343 points as boos in the arena and street protests in Vienna reflected anger over Israel’s participation.
  • Five public broadcasters — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — skipped the 70th contest in a rare boycott tied to the Gaza war.
  • The European Broadcasting Union limited the public vote this year after 2025 claims of heavy campaigning, sharpening focus on the jury–televote balance.
  • France’s Monroe placed 11th with 158 points, including only 14 from viewers, while post-show reactions saw Bulgaria confirm hosting in Sofia in 2027 and Belgium’s VRT question entering next year as Spain’s RTVE aired a rights message.