Dutch broadcaster Avrotros plans to boycott Eurovision 2027 over Israel’s participation

Monday 24 August 2026 - 20:00

By: Azzat Manal

Dutch broadcaster Avrotros plans to boycott Eurovision 2027 over Israel’s participation

Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros has announced that it intends to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, marking a second consecutive boycott in protest against Israel’s participation in the competition.

In a statement issued on Monday, Avrotros said that the changes recently announced by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had not provided sufficient reassurance that the contest had fully restored its independence and political neutrality. The broadcaster added that the final decision on Dutch participation will be referred to the general assembly of the Dutch public broadcasting organization NPO.

The Netherlands also stayed away from the 2026 edition of Eurovision over the same dispute surrounding Israel’s participation. The latest announcement indicates that the controversy is likely to remain a major issue for European public broadcasters ahead of the 2027 contest.

Eurovision is one of the world’s largest annual music competitions. Launched in 1956 under the European Broadcasting Union, the event brings together participating broadcasters from across Europe and beyond. Each country generally enters one song, while the winner is determined through a combination of professional jury votes and public voting.

The competition has played a significant role in launching international music careers. Artists and groups such as ABBA and Céline Dion are among its most famous former winners. Eurovision also operates under detailed rules designed to preserve the competition’s non-political character, including restrictions on overt political messaging in performances.

Despite these rules, Israel’s participation in recent editions has generated significant controversy. Critics have argued that the country’s involvement should be reconsidered because of the war in Gaza, while supporters of its participation maintain that the Eurovision competition is intended to bring broadcasters and artists together regardless of political disputes.

The EBU has previously emphasized the distinction between participating broadcasters and national governments, while continuing to review its rules and procedures in response to concerns raised by members and audiences.

For the Netherlands, Avrotros’ latest position could place additional pressure on Eurovision organizers as they seek to maintain the contest’s international appeal while addressing concerns about its political neutrality.

The decision also illustrates the growing tension between the cultural ambitions of major international events and the political controversies surrounding participating countries. Whether the Netherlands ultimately remains absent from Eurovision 2027 will depend on the final decision of the NPO’s governing bodies.