Spain and the Netherlands announced on Thursday they would withdraw from next year's Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided to allow Israel to compete.
The statements came as the body that runs Eurovision met to discuss concerns about Israel's participation, which some countries oppose over its handling of the Gaza war.
Spain's state broadcaster RTVE said on Thursday that the country was withdrawing from Eurovision after the competition's hosting body voted to allow Israel to participate in 2026.
“We would like to express our serious reservations about the participation of the Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026,” RTVE Secretary General Alfonso Morales said during the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union.
Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said Israel's involvement was “no longer compatible with the responsibility we have as a public broadcaster.”
The Eurovision Song Contest is known for its often kitschy and eye-catching performances, but this year it has become the focus of protests against Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.
The withdrawal came after members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, voted to adopt tougher voting rules in response to allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favor of its entrant.
The fun pop music gala, which attracts more than 100 million spectators each year, has been overshadowed by the war in the Gaza Strip for the past two years.
The European Broadcasting Union, which includes public broadcasters from 56 countries, held its biannual general assembly on Thursday, with some countries calling for Israel to be expelled over alleged interference in competitive voting and its behavior during the Gaza war.
The EBU said the new rules would strengthen “transparency and trust” and allow all countries, including Israel, to participate.
But Spain and the Netherlands withdrew, followed by Ireland.
“Eurovision is becoming somewhat of a fragmented event,” said Paul Jordan, a contest expert known as “Doctor Eurovision.” “The slogan is “United by music”… unfortunately, they are divided by politics.”
“The situation has become quite confusing and toxic,” he said.
Divided by politics
The competition, whose 70th edition is scheduled for May in Vienna, will pit artists from dozens of countries against each other for the continent's musical crown.
It strives to put pop music above politics, but has repeatedly found itself embroiled in world events. Russia was ousted in 2022 after a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
However, the war in Gaza has become her biggest challenge, with pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating against Israel before the last two Eurovision Song Contests in Basel, Switzerland, in May and Malmo, Sweden, in 2024.
The war in the Gaza Strip has also exposed divisions in the European broadcast world. Austria, which is set to host the competition after Viennese singer JJ won this year with wasted lovesupports Israeli participation. Germany is also said to support Israel.
Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain were among the countries that threatened to withdraw from the competition if Israel was allowed to take part.
Opponents of Israel's involvement criticize the handling of the war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 70,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry.
A number of experts, including those invited by UN bodies, said that Israel's offensive was tantamount to genocide.
The Israeli government has repeatedly defended its campaign as a response to the Hamas-led attack that began the war on October 7, 2023. According to Israel, the attack killed about 1,200 people (mostly civilians) and took 251 hostages.
Israel has also faced accusations of interfering in the Eurovision voting process.
Complex voting process
It is unclear whether the reduction in violence in the Gaza Strip, where a US-brokered ceasefire is in place, or the EBU's plans to change voting procedures to guard against political interference will be enough to reassure some broadcasters who are on edge on the issue.
The EBU said officials at a meeting on Thursday will be asked to consider this package of new measures, including reducing the number of votes for each payment method and the return of “professional juries” for semi-finals.
A vote on participation will only take place if member broadcasters decide the steps are insufficient to protect the “neutrality and impartiality” of the competition, the broadcasting union said in an email on Wednesday.
Members have until mid-December to confirm their participation for next year, with the final list to be announced by Christmas, it said.
Possible scenarios
Eurovision expert Dean Vuletic said that a boycott by any EU member state would be significant as they “are not dictatorships” and are called upon, like Israel, to share the values of democracy, human rights and diversity.
“This will be the biggest boycott of Eurovision in history. Boycotts have happened in the past, but they were usually two-sided,” said Vuletic, the book's author. Post-war Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest.
The boycott could have financial and viewership implications at a time when many broadcasters are under financial pressure due to cuts in government funding and the rise of social media.
Government job cuts, increased defense spending and… Canada's participation in Eurovision? The promise of a budget has Europop fans excited, but CBC's Abby Hughes explains why sending a Canadian to the song competition is no easy task.
Among the countries that will leave are some big names in the Eurovision world.
Spain is one of the “big five” large market countries that contribute the most to the competition. Ireland have won seven times, a record they share with Sweden.
Controversy over Israel's participation in 2026 threatens to overshadow the return next year of three countries – Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania – after periods of absence for financial and artistic reasons.
“There are no winners here. Regardless of what happens – whether Israel gets in or not, whether countries stay or go – this is not what Eurovision is supposed to be. It's supposed to be joyful and bring people together, regardless of our politics,” Jordan said.
“Unfortunately, I think it has become a bit of a political football.”
