The Netherlands will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has announced. The broadcaster cited concerns about the contest’s neutrality amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
AVROTROS said Eurovision could no longer appear neutral while a participating country remained involved in a large-scale military conflict. The broadcaster also raised concerns about humanitarian suffering in Gaza and restrictions on press freedom.
Dutch Broadcaster Questions Eurovision Rules
AVROTROS said it had spent the past year urging the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to establish transparent rules for countries involved in military conflicts. However, the broadcaster said recently announced EBU changes had failed to restore sufficient confidence in Eurovision’s independent and neutral character.
The broadcaster said its decision reflected its values of trustworthiness, independence and humanity. It also pointed to growing divisions surrounding the contest and said several countries had withdrawn from the 2026 event.
Gaza Conflict Deepens Eurovision Divisions
AVROTROS said former Eurovision winners had returned their trophies, while more than 1,000 musicians and cultural professionals had signed an open letter urging the EBU to intervene. The broadcaster called for a clear framework determining when countries involved in conflicts can participate.
AVROTROS director-general Taco Zimmerman said international conflicts were increasingly affecting Eurovision. He argued that the contest, originally created to bring countries together, had increasingly become a platform for division.
The broadcaster also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll from Israel’s war since October 2023 has exceeded 73,000, while more than 174,000 people have been injured.
