Netherlands to Skip Eurovision 2027 Over Israel's Participation

The Netherlands will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, which is scheduled to take place in Bourgas, Bulgaria. The Dutch public broadcaster NPO announced on Tuesday that no Dutch broadcaster was willing to fund the country's participation, primarily due to Israel's continued involvement in the competition. This marks the second consecutive year the Netherlands will miss the event, having also boycotted the 2026 edition in Vienna in protest of Israel's participation amid the Gaza war. The decision comes despite a recent shift in tone from the NPO, which on September 23 had expressed confidence in a 2027 return, believing the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had addressed criticisms from the previous year. However, no Dutch broadcaster ultimately agreed to support the bid. AVROTROS, which had organized the Netherlands' Eurovision participation for about a decade, had already stated in August its unwillingness to return in 2027. The broadcaster argued that the contest could no longer be considered sufficiently "neutral" while a country engaged in a major military conflict was participating. According to AVROTROS, the EBU's announced reforms were insufficient to restore the guarantees of independence it sought. The issue has also caused significant internal friction within Dutch public broadcasting, with local press reporting dozens of complaints and nearly 400 employees signing a letter calling for the country's withdrawal. The Netherlands joins other European broadcasters that have distanced themselves from the contest due to Israel's presence. During the 2026 edition, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, and Slovenia also boycotted the competition. Israel ultimately finished second in the 2026 contest with 343 points, behind Bulgaria's representative DARA. The Eurovision 2027 contest is scheduled for May 11-15 in Bourgas, with Israel expected to participate.