RTVE has made good on its threat. Spain will not participate in the 2026 edition of Eurovision after Israel’s participation was confirmed. Decision that It makes our country the only country among the five members of the so-called The Big Five To boycott and not broadcast the next edition of the Eurovision Song Festival.
Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are the five countries that are part of this group Those who contribute the most money to fund the celebration of the festival. This allows them to avoid the semi-finals and guarantee a place in the final, just like the organizing country (the winner of the previous edition).
Currently of members big five, The only country that has confirmed that it will not attend next year is Spain. As for the statements made so far Nothing suggests that any of the other four will support the decision taken by RTVE on Thursday.
So the 70th edition of Eurovision does not seem to be in danger. In addition to Spain, only Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia announced their absence.. Iceland, which also opposed Israel’s participation, will announce its position next Wednesday, and Belgium said it will decide whether or not to participate in the competition “in the coming days.”
The final list of participants in the next edition of the festival, which will be held in Vienna (Austria), is scheduled to be known before Christmas, but three countries have already announced their intention to do so. Back to the competition After several years of absence: Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria.
The Big Five
From members The Big Five, Germany was one of the countries that strongly defended Israel’s participation In 2026. Friedrich Merz even threatened to withdraw from public television if the Hebrew state was banned. The chancellor said, “I think that discussing this issue is a scandal. Israel must be present.”
This Thursday’s General Series Alternative dispute resolution He welcomed the approval of measures to “strengthen Transparency, neutrality and fairness in voting and organizing processes Shared commitment to maintaining the integrity of the competition He stressed the continued promotion of cultural diversity and artistic exchange.
For her part, The BBC expressed its support for the “collective” decision taken by members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).. “It is about enforcement of EBU rules and inclusion,” he stressed.
Moreover, he pointed out that The vote held on Thursday was not about Israel’s participation in the competitionBut about proposed changes to the voting system to “enhance confidence.” He pointed out that “if the majority of members had voted against the resolution, a vote would have been scheduled on Israel’s participation.”
For her part, RAI confirmed Italy’s participation in Eurovision 2026 at the beginning of November When he announced the rules for the 2026 Sanremo Festival, which will serve as a selection process for the competition’s national representative for another year.
In the case of France, the public broadcaster Televisions France He did not determine whether or not Israel would be present at the festival. But it ensured its existence In the session that will be held in May 2026 in Vienna, “to confirm its support for musical creativity, artists, and this unique meeting.” The network then defended its “neutrality” in this debate.
An end to uncertainty
The results of the European Broadcasting Union General Assembly held on Thursday and the subsequent decision of RTVE Weeks of tensions and confrontations in the organization are approaching Between members who want to separate Israel’s geopolitical situation from the conflict and those who have called for its expulsion.
In the case of Spain, José Pablo Lopez, President of RTVE, Last September it decided to seek the board’s opinion on whether the company should abandon Eurovision if Israel participates. For which he received the support of the majority of Council members.
The resolution he put to a vote despite the fact that, according to sources in the council to the newspaper EL ESPAÑOL-Invertia, he himself admitted that he could adopt it individually. The power that the new RTVE regulations give you. However, he said, He preferred to consult the decision with the rest of the Council members.
However, there is Discomfort among some councilors regarding RTVE’s position at this timeKnowing that even the government does not maintain its critical stance towards Israel. Especially after the peace agreement was reached, in which the Prime Minister himself, Pedro Sanchez, participated.
Jose Pablo Lopez in “RTVE Responds”.
It’s not just that the maximum maintained by Jose Pablo Lopez causes discomfort. Also your A decision to confront the European Union fiercelyThis is something that many advisors consider unnecessary.
RTVE sources also state that the decision to abandon Eurovision will have consequences for the company. among them, The discomfort that will be generated among Europeanswho will not even be able to watch next year’s festival on Spanish public television.
Spain’s withdrawal from the competition also means that RTVE will not broadcast the final of the Eurovision Song Festival in 2026Which will be held in Vienna (Austria) on May 16. The same will not apply to the previous two sessions of the competition, which will be held on the 12th and 14th.
Spain Thus ending more than six decades of “continuous participation in Eurovision”.. RTVE made its official debut in 1961, and until the withdrawal was announced in 2026, it participated in all editions held, except for the one that was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The question now is whether Spain will participate again in the Eurovision Song Festival. This is not the first time a state has been established The Big Five Leaves Eurovision. Italy, which was absent for more than a decade and resumed its presence in 2011, has already done so.
As indicated in the EBU regulations themselves, the Iberian country could return again for the 71st edition to be held in 2027. José Pablo López himself pointed out, in the Joint Commission last November, that RTVE’s contribution to the European organization exceeded the competition. With which, Membership within the “Big Five” is also not in danger.
but, If RTVE does not change its mind and continues to condition its participation in the competition on the presence of IsraelEverything Melody shows with her song That divawill remain the last photo of a Spanish representative at Eurovision.