Overview
- Vienna’s final late Saturday crowned Dara of Bulgaria with 516 points for Bangaranga, finishing ahead of Israel and delivering Bulgaria its first Eurovision win.
- Germany’s Sarah Engels placed 23rd with 12 jury points and zero from the public after performing second in the running order.
- Five broadcasters from the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia skipped the 70th contest in protest of Israel’s participation, and police in Vienna reported 14 arrests near the venue as the show proceeded.
- This year’s format restored juries to the semifinals and cut the maximum televotes per person from 20 to 10 in a bid to balance fan mobilization and jury input.
- German TV interest stayed high, with an average 8.9 million viewers across Das Erste and ONE, underscoring the event’s broad reach despite the controversies.