Netherlands Withdraws From Eurovision 2027 Over Neutrality Concerns
AVROTROS withdraws the Netherlands from the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest over Gaza neutrality concerns
“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” Taco Zimmerman, director-general of AVROTROS, said in a statement from the broadcaster on Monday. The Netherlands will not participate in next year’s competition.
The announcement follows recent rule changes by Eurovision organizers who announced earlier this month that any country involved in an armed conflict would be excluded from hosting the competition. However, AVROTROS stated that these adjustments do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the competition has been restored amid ongoing divisions over the Gaza war.
A history of Dutch participation and recent boycotts
The Netherlands took part in the very first Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956 and has claimed victory on five occasions. The country’s most recent win came in 2019 when Duncan Laurence secured the title with the song “Arcade,” which subsequently became the first Eurovision entry to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
The latest decision builds upon a turbulent period for the live televised music event. The 2026 competition, held in Vienna, Austria, drew 131 million viewers—a drop of 35 million from the previous year—after five countries boycotted the show over Israel’s participation. Israel finished second in both the 2025 and 2026 contests.
During the 2026 event, the Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia pulled out of the contest entirely, with Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia refusing to broadcast the show. Zimmerman described the 2027 withdrawal as painful, noting that the broadcaster would have liked to return but remains committed to its institutional values.
The Netherlands will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, reversing its September decision to return amid continuing opposition to Israel's participation. Dutch public broadcasting organisation NPO said it had been unable to find a broadcaster willing to organise… pic.twitter.com/rJ0z2M0xTE
Organizer response and preparations in Burgas
Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the organisation regrets the decision from AVROTROS, though he noted that organizers understood and respected the choice. Green added that Eurovision officials would investigate whether another Dutch broadcaster might be willing to step in so that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can remain represented.
Next year’s event is scheduled for May 15, 2027, in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas. This will mark the first time the Balkan nation has hosted the contest, following the victory of Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known professionally as Dara, who won this year’s competition in Vienna with her song “Bangaranga.”