EUROVISION: Netherlands wins in Israel, Spain gets 60 points

THE NETHERLANDS has won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with 492 points, with Spain winning 60 points and Britain coming last.

Duncan Laurence’s victory in Tel Aviv, Israel comes 44 years after the Netherlands last won the contest. The country will also host the show next year.

Laurence had been the favourite to win the contest with his song Arcade.

“Here’s to dreaming big. This is to music first, always,” he said.

🇳🇱 The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 is Duncan Laurence, representing The Netherlands with his song, Arcade!

👉 https://t.co/8ppA7om1Py@dunclaurence#DareToDream #Eurovision #NLD pic.twitter.com/iVduYXZY0y

— Eurovision (@Eurovision) 18 May 2019

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Spain’s Miguel ‘Miki’ Núñez was the last to take the stage. His song La Venda (The Blindfold) earned him points from two countries, Russia and Belarus.

🇪🇸 Spain’s Miki closes the show with a party on stage, and we’re still clapping along!@RTVE @Eurovision_TVE @Mikiot2018#DareToDream #Eurovision #ESP pic.twitter.com/rzTB5jmjV0

— Eurovision (@Eurovision) 18 May 2019

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Britain’s Michael Rice performed his song Bigger Than Us 16th. He went on to finish last with 16 points from the public vote.

🇬🇧 It’s bigger than you and me – outstanding vocals from the UK’s Michael Rice!@BBC @BBCEurovision @MichaelRiceOff#DareToDream #Eurovision #GBR pic.twitter.com/qsRkBPAoPw

— Eurovision (@Eurovision) 18 May 2019

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The concert also saw Madonna perform and previous Eurovision contestants who appeared singing their own songs.

Here are the final results of Eurovision Song Contest 2019.

⭐️ TOP 3 ⭐️
🇳🇱 1 – 492@DuncLaurence

🇮🇹 2 – 465@Mahmood_Music

🇷🇺 3 – 369@SergeyLazarev#DareToDream #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/4TmXuXXkty

— Eurovision (@Eurovision) 18 May 2019

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The controversy over Palestine also emerged when two of Madonna’s dancers displayed Israeli and Palestinian flags on their backs.

Other incident saw Iceland’s act holdup flags with ‘Palestine’ written on them while their vote was being announced. Eurovision organisers said they may take action against them for doing so.

Protests against Eurovision were staged both in Tel Aviv and in Jerusalem. Pro-Palestinians gathered in the former city while ultra-Orthodox Jews demonstrated in the latter over the contest being held on the sabbath.