US EditionSpain votes to boycott Eurovision if Israel competes
- Spain's public broadcaster RTVE voted on Tuesday to boycott Eurovision if Israel participates in the next contest.
- This decision follows calls by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and threats by Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland to exclude Israel over its Gaza military campaign.
- The RTVE board met in Madrid and approved the boycott with 10 votes in favor, 4 against, and 1 abstention amid diplomatic tensions and protests over Israeli actions.
- RTVE acknowledged the strong emotions and perspectives related to the current situation in the Middle East, while the European Broadcasting Union is engaging with its members to determine how best to address participation and political sensitivities surrounding the contest.
- Spain, the first of the Big Five financial backers to take this step, joins other countries challenging Israel's participation, potentially complicating the Eurovision Song Contest scheduled for May in Vienna.
216 Articles
216 Articles
Eurovision faces its Waterloo over Israel boycotts
Director-general Tim Davie has refused to say whether the BBC will take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest as controversy grows over Israel’s participation.The national broadcasters of Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Spain have all threatened to boycott Eurovision if Israel is allowed to take part. The European Broadcasting Union is consulting with members on how to “manage participation and geopolitical tensions” around…
Spain joined the four countries that will refuse to take part in the musical contest in May 2026 if Israel is on the run. The decision to exclude or not the Hebrew state will be taken in December by the UER, organizer of the event.
Spain’s historic Eurovision boycott if Israel competes
Spain shows a lot of personality and might just shake up Eurovision like never before. RTVE, the Spanish public broadcaster, dropped a bombshell on Tuesday, September 16: it will skip the next edition of the famed song contest if Israel participates. The decision is historic, as Spain is the first of the “Big Five” (the top financial contributors to Eurovision, alongside the UK, France… Source
Madrid. Spain will not go to Eurovision “if Israel continues in the music festival while the massacre in Gaza persists,” announced the public corporation Radio Televisión Española (RTVE), charged with selecting the representative.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
