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Agence France-Presse

The Netherlands will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster has said, adding that the event can “no longer be considered neutral” given divisions over the Gaza war.
“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 Taco Zimmerman, director general of AVROTROS in a statement from the broadcaster on Monday.
The contest has recently been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation.
Earlier this month, organisers announced they were excluding any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition.
“However, the recently announced changes … do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored,” said the AVROTROS statement.
Israel came close to winning the competition in both 2025 and 2026, ultimately finishing second on each occasion.

Next year’s event, the world’s biggest live televised music event, will take place on May 15 in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas.
It will be the first time that the Balkan nation hosts the contest, coming after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s contest in the Austrian capital Vienna with the catchy floor-filler “Bangaranga”.
Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame, as well as boosting the likes of Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.
The 2026 competition was watched by 131 million viewers, down 35 million on the year before after five countries boycotted it over Israel’s participation.
The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all pulled out of the contest – with the latter three refusing to broadcast the show at all.
The Dutch took part in the very first Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956, and have won on five occasions.
The most recent winner was Duncan Laurence whose song “Arcade” won the contest in 2019, going on to top charts globally.
It became the first Eurovision entry to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, according to the Eurovision website.

The withdrawal was “painful as we would have very much liked to be part of the contest again next year”, Zimmerman said.
“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.”
Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said the organisation regretted the decision, but understood and respected the choice.
Green said organisers would investigate whether another Dutch broadcaster might be willing to take part in the contest.
“We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest,” Green said.
AVROTROS selects and manages the Dutch entry to the contest.


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A Eurovision flag flies at the port of Burgas, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, which will host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in 2027. Photo: AP

Bulgarian singer Dara won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Photo: Reuters

Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May 2019. Photo: AP

Eurovision to bar countries at war from hosting

Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song “Liekinheitin” during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, in May. Photo: AP

Noam Bettan from Israel (centre) reacts as the points are awarded during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, in May. Photo: AP

Lelek from Croatia performs the song “Andromeda” during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, in May. Photo: AP

Bulgaria’s Dara wins Eurovision contest, beating out Israel for top spot

Dara from Bulgaria holds up the trophy after winning the Eurovision grand final in Vienna. Photo: AP

Noam Bettan from Israel (centre) reacts as the points are awarded during the grand final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria. Photo: AP

Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song “Liekinheitin” during the Eurovision grand final. Photo: AP

Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision as several countries boycott contest

A person waves Israel’s national flag while watching Israeli singer Yuval Raphael perform at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Photo: AFP

Israel’s 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, who is a survivor of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. Photo: AP

JJ, representing Austria, winner of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Photo: Reuters

Opponents of Israel’s participation in Eurovision cite the war in Gaza, which has left more than 70,000 people dead. Photo: Reuters

Germany slams Israel boycott, Eurovision ‘brings nations together’

This photograph shows the logo of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 displayed on a screen at the end of the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland, on May 14. Photo: AFP

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Its Dutch broadcaster says the contest, which has been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation, has ‘become a platform for division’


Its Dutch broadcaster says the contest, which has been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation, has ‘become a platform for division’.


Netherlands withdraws from ‘no longer’ neutral Eurovision

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Its Dutch broadcaster says the contest, which has been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation, has ‘become a platform for division’

Its Dutch broadcaster says the contest, which has been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation, has ‘become a platform for division’