Photo by BGNES
“There’s no denying that international conflicts are having an increasingly strong impact on the contest, undermining its neutral character. ‘Eurovision’ has turned into a platform for division”, said AvroTros CEO Taco Zimmerman.
AvroTros also criticized the changes made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), according to Reuters. The new rules impose additional restrictions on hosting the contest in countries where armed conflict or other geopolitical situations could jeopardize the event’s security and stability. However, the Dutch broadcaster considers these measures insufficient to restore the contest’s independent and neutral character.
The Netherlands has already boycotted “Eurovision 2026” due to Israel’s participation. Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia also withdrew from the contest. Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia not only declined to participate but also refused to broadcast the show. The Netherlands and Iceland did broadcast the contest.
Israel, meanwhile, came within a hair’s breadth of victory two years in a row, finishing in second place in 2025 and 2026.
Against the backdrop of the five-country boycott, the Eurovision audience in 2026 fell to 131 million viewers—35 million fewer than the previous year.
The next contest will take place on May 15, 2027, in Burgas, Bulgaria. Bulgaria will host Eurovision for the first time following Dara’s victory with the song “Bangaranga” at the contest in Vienna.
