Sanremo, Rai wants to know who refuses Eurovision

Just under a month from the start of Sanremo FestivalLevante raises an important issue: “If I won Sanremo, I wouldn’t go to theEurovisionThe event has now taken on very politicized connotations and even today, in the context of the pre-listening of the Sanremo 2026 songs reserved for journalists and music critics, the issue was examined.

“Rai asked us not to turn a blind eye, we said so when the request was made and this is our position” says Fabrizio Casinelli, director of Rai Communications, responding to a question on the company’s position regarding the possible participation of Palestine in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.

Rai aims to speed up the process and have a clear picture of the availability of the artists competing in Sanremo already during the Festival week, in light of the current political scenario. The new process is outlined by the deputy director of Prime Time, Claudio Fasulo, who speaks of feedback to be asked from artists and record companies “at least after prime time”. The goal is to make the decision”binding so as not to waste time. The moment an orientation is expressed, there is no reason for there to be a change. This year we want to bring forward the process in order to have a complete picture (of the artists’ intentions).”

The new procedure anticipates the formal collection of memberships: “We are thinking of asking for feedbacka response, during the week of the Festival, for our interest and that of the record companies. And from there we will proceed with the membership request”. For now, he specified, these are only “reconnaissance flights”.

The final ranking of Sanremo will remain the main criterion, with the right to represent Italy going to the winner, provided he has given his consent. In case of withdrawal, we will proceed as usual to scroll through the ranking among the artists who have said they are available. Fasulo confirmed that, again this year, “It seems there are many who intend to participate“.