“We are all hostages to the political interests of the Israeli government,” said Natalija Gorscak, CEO of RTVSLO, during the recent institutional crisis surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, as a result of which several European public broadcasters have decided to withdraw from the competition. As Europa Press reports, the public radio stations of Slovenia (RTVSLO), the Netherlands (AVROTROS), Ireland (RTÉ) and Portugal have decided to officially declare their withdrawal from the prestigious music competition to protest against Israel’s continued participation, in a context marked by war and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
The decision to abandon the Eurovision Song Contest is in line with a collective reaction to debates about neutrality and principles of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the event’s organizing body. As Europa Press reports, the position of rejection of Israeli participation was made clear in the secret vote during the last general meeting of the EBU, where the guarantees and measures proposed for the 2026 edition were presented to national delegations for consideration. Ksenija Horvat, program director of RTVSLO, stressed to Europa Press that she considered it “unacceptable to share the stage with a delegation from a state accused of ‘genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza'”, while denouncing the lack of access for the international press and the violent conditions in the region.
The Spanish RTVE network first formalized its rejection in September of the previous year, making its stay in the Eurovision Song Contest conditional on Israel’s exclusion from the competition. As Europa Press detailed, this decision ultimately led to the final withdrawal of the Spanish delegation, which was now joined by RTVSLO, AVROTROS and RTÉ. The calendar set by the EBU envisages the final of the competition in Vienna (Austria) on May 12, 14 and 16, 2026, an edition in which these nations will no longer be present with artists or television broadcasts.
According to Europa Press, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS consulted for weeks with Israeli diplomats, representatives of human rights organizations, channel directors and fans of the competition before making the final decision. Taco Zimmerman, executive director of AVROTROS, stated that “culture unites, but not at any cost,” and linked the withdrawal to concerns about human rights abuses and the perceived political bias of the event. Europa Press has also obtained an official statement from Irish broadcaster RTÉ, which cited the crisis in Gaza, the high number of civilian casualties and reports of attacks on journalists as key factors in the suspension of both participation and televising of the competition.
Europa Press reported that the EBU assembly did not vote specifically on Israel’s permanent existence, but most members agreed to go ahead as planned and adopt new guarantees. In an official statement quoted by Europa Press, the organization claimed that “a large majority of members agreed that a new vote on participation was not necessary and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should take place as planned, with the additional guarantees.”
Natalija Gorscak told Europa Press that the Israel controversy has called into question the Eurovision Song Contest’s historic ability to maintain political neutrality. He recalled that there were already discussions about the introduction of songs with a political background at the 2016 edition in Stockholm and that since then the competition has had increasing difficulties in distancing itself from state interests. Gorscak compared the current case to Russia’s previous expulsion over its invasion of Ukraine, noting that the same ethical logic should have been applied in the Gaza context.
In the case of Iceland, Europa Press noted that the public broadcaster is evaluating its position and will announce its position in the coming days. Norway, for its part, reiterated through statements by Camilla Bjorn, spokesperson for NRK, that it will not support boycotts or political actions and advocated ensuring the independence and objectivity of public information about the competition. Finland, via its public broadcaster Yle, reiterated its commitment to participate in the 2026 edition and highlighted the relevance of internal reforms in the EBU, which include expanding the role of the jury in the semi-finals to strengthen the credibility of the competition.
Meanwhile, according to Europa Press, prominent members of the group known as the Big Five – Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom – confirmed their stay at the festival. BBC speakers stressed the importance of adhering to EBU rules and maintaining inclusivity, while Katja Wildermuth, representative of ARD, stressed respect for the rules and the need to ensure institutional impartiality. Although France TV and Italian radio and television made no public comments following the recent withdrawals, they had already expressed their desire to participate months ago.
Europa Press explained that these internal divisions increase tensions within the Eurovision 2026 organizational structure and pose a challenge for EBU leaders who must deal with international pressure and meet expectations regarding the protection of ethical standards in the competition. Both the institutional status of retired broadcasters and the defense of continuity by other countries highlight the growing difficulty of separating major cultural events from global conflicts and debates.