Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has announced that it will not take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, citing Israel’s ongoing involvement and what it describes as the erosion of the event’s neutral character.
In a statement released on Monday, the broadcaster said the contest “can no longer be considered neutral” because a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict.
It pointed to the severe humanitarian situation in Gaza, restrictions on press freedom, and the failure of recent rule changes by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to restore confidence in the competition’s independence.
“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said AVROTROS director Taco Zimmerman.
“As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values. They guide us in everything we do, even when that means stepping away from an event that is very close to our hearts. That is painful, as we would have very much liked to be part of the Contest again next year.”
The decision marks the second consecutive year that the Netherlands will sit out the competition.
AVROTROS also boycotted the 2026 edition in Vienna, joining Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland in protest at Israel’s participation. The 2026 contest was ultimately won by Bulgaria and will therefore be hosted in the Black Sea city of Burgas next May.
AVROTROS has formally returned responsibility for any Dutch entry to the national public broadcasting organisation NPO, which will now decide whether the Netherlands participates under a different broadcaster or remains absent.
It is not yet clear how the NPO will proceed.
The EBU recently announced that countries involved in an armed conflict will no longer be eligible to host the contest, even if they win.
AVROTROS said these changes “do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored.”
Israel finished second in both the 2025 and 2026 contests.Some have alleged this was the result of cheating and abusing the vote system.
The debate over its participation has continued to divide European broadcasters since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
Next to boycotts, there also have been many protests against Israel’s participation.
Nemo, Switzerland’s triumphant entry in last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, said he is returning his trophy in protest over Israel’s continued participation. https://t.co/5HfCImosel
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) December 12, 2025
