The grand final of the Song Festival is scheduled for this Saturday, March 7that the Valentim de Carvalho Studios, in Paço de Arcos. If on other occasions the expectation would be great surrounding the song representing Portugal in the Eurovision festival – which this year will take place in Vienna, Austria, in May – this time there won’t be much to choose from: of the 10 finalists, only two admitted to participating in the European competition, while another has not yet commented on the case. In December, the others signed a joint statement in which they announced their intention to boycott Eurovision in the event of victory, due to the presence of the state of Israel at the event.
RTP admitted to having come under “enormous pressure” to boycott the festival, something it chose not to do. In case of victory at the Song Festival of one of the competitors who announced a boycott of the Eurovision contest, the public broadcaster will ask the “competitors to, for example, stay second or thirdif they want to go” to Eurovision. Whoever wins, only one in three must travel to Vienna.
