The Netherlands has pulled out of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row.
Dutch public service broadcaster Avrotros appeared to blame Israel’s continued participation in the event for its decision when it said it had decided to leave amid “humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom”.
A statement from the broadcaster read: “Avrotros will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 because the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict. “Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are having a significant impact on the contest and have led to deep divisions. “Over the past year, Avrotros has called on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to establish transparent rules for the participation of countries involved in military conflicts. “However, the recently announced changes by the EBU do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored.” Eurovision announced earlier this month that winners will be ineligible to host the contest if they are involved in “armed conflict” or a “sensitive geopolitical situation”, but did not rule out allowing those countries to take part.
