OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
7:29 PM – Thursday, December 4, 2025
Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands have announced their immediate withdrawal from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, citing the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel to compete.
The boycott, confirmed Thursday evening, follows months of mounting pressure from certain Euro nations for the EBU to exclude Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, an associate member of the organization.
In a tense meeting of reference group members earlier this week, a coalition of broadcasters formally requested a secret ballot on Israel’s exclusion. The proposal failed to secure the required absolute majority, with most members instead approving new “safeguards” intended to limit political messaging during the contest.
Within hours of the decision, the four dissenting broadcasters issued separate but coordinated statements announcing their departure from the competition, scheduled for May 2026 in Vienna after Austria’s victory.
RTÉ (Ireland) declared it would neither participate in nor broadcast the 2026 contest, stating that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.
Advertisement
RTVE (Spain) said the combination of the situation in Gaza and “Israel’s use” of the contest for “political purposes” had made it “increasingly difficult” to maintain Eurovision as a neutral cultural event. Spain will not take part in the semi-finals or final.
RTV SLO (Slovenia) emphasized its commitment to “peace, respect, and equality among nations,” adding that its decision was made “on behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza.”
NPO (Netherlands) also confirmed its withdrawal while pledging to continue airing the event for Dutch viewers.
Iceland is reportedly considering a similar move, while other major participants, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and host nation Austria have reaffirmed their commitment to the 2026 contest.
In a statement, the EBU stressed that all active members who comply with the rules are eligible to participate, and described the newly adopted measures as a way to protect the non-political nature of the event.
The withdrawals mark one of the largest coordinated absences in Eurovision’s history and come against the backdrop of a war that began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The 2026 contest is now expected to proceed with a reduced field of participants, potentially below 40 countries for the first time in over a decade.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
