Dutch broadcaster Avrotros withdraws from Eurovision 2027 over Israel participation and neutrality rules

Broadcaster withdrawal and neutrality concerns

Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros announced on 24 August 2026 that it will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. The move extends the Dutch boycott of the competition for a second consecutive year, following its withdrawal from the 2026 event in Vienna, Austria. Avrotros, which has managed Dutch Eurovision participation and artist selection since 2014, cited the war in Gaza and Israel's continued presence as the foundation for its exit. The broadcaster stated that the contest can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict. Avrotros also stated that severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza and ongoing restrictions on media freedom have deepened divisions around the annual music competition.

Broadcaster leadership and institutional values

Avrotros director-general Taco Zimmerman noted that geopolitical disputes have increasingly altered the character of the contest. He explained that stepping away aligns directly with the core values of the Dutch public broadcaster, which include reliability, independence, and humanity.

The Eurovision Song Contest was originally created to bring people and countries together. It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character.

Zimmerman added that the withdrawal was painful for the organization because staff had hoped to return to the stage in 2027, but maintained that the contest has turned into a platform for division.

EBU rule revisions and European reaction

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) recently updated its regulations for participating broadcasters in active war zones. Under the revised rules, a winning broadcaster is automatically barred from hosting the subsequent edition if armed conflict or geopolitical instability threatens the security of the host state or its surrounding region. Contest director Martin Green noted that annual rule adjustments also addressed participant age minimums and audio issues. However, Avrotros stated that these measures do not provide adequate confidence that the neutral character of the event has been restored, arguing that the EBU still lacks transparent criteria defining when military conflict makes a country ineligible to compete.

We will now continue discussions with NPO, the umbrella organization of Dutch public media services, about the possibility of another broadcaster participating.

Dutch delegation status and the 2027 event

Avrotros has returned responsibility for Dutch participation to umbrella body NPO (Nederlandse Publieke Omroep), leaving the final decision on entering a representative to other member broadcasters. Another Dutch network, Omroep Max, had offered in May 2026 to take over responsibilities with NPO financial support, but it rescinded that offer a week prior to the Avrotros announcement. The 2026 contest in Vienna previously saw five nations boycott, including the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia, and Big Five financial contributor Spain. That event drew street demonstrations, including the No Stage For Genocide protest organized by Palestine Solidarity Austria at Vienna's Venediger Au park. Historically, only Ireland and Sweden have won more Eurovision titles than the Netherlands. The 71st Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, on 11, 13, and 15 May 2027.