The Governor of Lower Austria strongly responded to Eurovision winner JJ’s call to exclude Israel from the contest – stating that “antisemitism has no place in Europe.”
JJ, the Austrian artist who won this year’s Eurovision, sparked a political and social firestorm after calling for Israel’s removal from the competition and comparing it to Russia. His remarks triggered intense backlash across Austria and beyond.
Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner publicly condemned JJ’s statements, declaring: “Anyone who equates Israel with Russia and ignores the Hamas attacks urgently needs a history lesson.”
A prominent figure from the center-right ÖVP party, Mikl-Leitner emphasized that antisemitism cannot be tolerated in Europe under any form and called for a clear distinction between political criticism and racism.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, JJ had said: “It is disappointing that Israel is still part of the contest. I would like next year’s Eurovision in Vienna to happen without them.”
Although he later clarified that he did not intend to offend anyone and condemned violence “on all sides,” he stood by his position on Israel’s exclusion.
Austria’s national broadcaster ORF quickly issued a statement stressing that JJ’s views are his own and do not reflect the organization’s stance, reaffirming that Eurovision is a musical event, not a political one.
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Source: Euromix