Eurovision's finalists to be chosen this Thursday

The semi-finals of the competition will feature Australia (with the song 'Milkshake Man', performed by Go-Jo), Montenegro ('Dobrodosli'/ Nina Zizic), Ireland ('Laika Party'/EMMY), Latvia ('Bur Man Laimi'/Tautumeitas), Armenia ('Survivor'/PARG), Austria ('Wasted Love'/JJ), Greece ('Asteromáta'/Klavdia), Lithuania ('Tavo Akys'/Katarsis), Malta ('Serving'/Miriana Conte), Georgia ('Freedom'/Mariam Shengelia), Denmark ('Hallucination'/Sisal), Czech Republic ('Kiss Kiss Goodbye'/ADONXS), Luxembourg ('La Poupée Monte Le Son'/Laura Thorn), Israel ('New Day Will Rise'/Yuval Raphael), Serbia (Mila/Princ) and Finland ('Ich Komme'/Erika Vikman).

Israel's presence in the competition was once again contested this year, as it was last year, particularly by artists who have already participated in the competition and by Spanish public television.

More than 70 musicians, including Salvador Sobral, António Calvário, Fernando Tordo, Lena D'Água and Paulo de Carvalho, appealed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel's participation.

In an open letter, they justify the appeal by saying that they consider Israeli television KAN to be 'an accomplice in the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza'.

The letter, published jointly by the non-governmental organization Artists For Palestine and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS), is signed by singers, songwriters, musicians, dancers and choir members from several countries.

Spanish public television, RTVE, called for the 'opening of a debate' on KAN's participation in the Eurovision song contest, in a letter addressed to the EBU.

RTVE's request came after petitions were launched in Finland in late March asking Finnish public broadcaster Yle to pressure the EBU to exclude Israel from the 2025 edition because of the war in Gaza.

In today's semi-final, in addition to the 16 songs in competition, songs from other countries with direct entry into the final will be presented -- France ('maman'/Louane), Germany ('Baller'/Abor&Tynna) and the United Kingdom ('What The Hell Just Happened?'/Remember Monday).

Here are the songs in the competition this Thursday:

This year, 37 countries are participating in the Eurovision Song Contest, but only 26 will make it to the final: the ten chosen today, ten that were selected on Tuesday, in the first semi-final, the so-called 'Big Five' and the host country, winner of last year's edition.

In the first semi-final the following were selected: Portugal, Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia and Ukraine.

On that day, songs from Spain, Italy and Switzerland were also presented.

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