Dutch say won't participate in 'no longer' neutral Eurovision
The broadcaster said geopolitical tensions and Gaza-related divisions have made the contest no longer neutral, and returned Dutch participation decisions to NPO.
- On Monday, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced the Netherlands will not participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest. Director-General Taco Zimmerman stated the event can "no longer be considered neutral" given divisions over the Gaza war.
- Recent changes by the EBU excluding countries involved in armed conflict failed to restore confidence in the contest's neutrality. The competition has recently faced a wave of boycotts over Israel's participation.
- The 2026 competition attracted 131 million viewers, a decline of 35 million from the previous year. Israel finished second in both 2025 and 2026, fueling scrutiny surrounding the event.
- Zimmerman called the decision "painful as we would have very much liked to be part of the Contest again next year." He added that as a public broadcaster, they remain committed to their values.
- Despite the withdrawal, the world's biggest live televised music event is scheduled for May 15 in Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Burgas. It marks the first time Bulgaria has hosted the competition.
194 Articles
194 Articles
Associated Press News
Dutch Broadcaster Says It Will Boycott Eurovision Song Contest Again
“AVROTROS will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 because the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict,” the network said, though the decision on the Netherlands’ participation remains up to national public broadcaster NPO. – AP
The broadcaster AVROTROS justified the renewed ESC withdrawal of the Netherlands with the war in Gaza and doubts about the political neutrality of the competition.
An announcement published on the social channels of Avrotros. The message, clear and explicit. For the second consecutive year, the Netherlands will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled in Burgas (Bulgaria) from May 11th to May 15th 2027. The event is no longer neutral, since one of the participating countries is still involved in a military conflict on a wide [...] The article "The event is no longer neutral, tensions in the Middle Ea…
Dutch broadcaster boycotts Eurovision for second consecutive year over Israel’s inclusion
The Netherlands was one of five countries that refused to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, because of Israel’s participation. By The Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner The Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS announced on Monday that it is again boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest, for the second year in a row, in protest of Israel’s inclusion in the competition and the country’s military actions in the Gaza Str…
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