Dutch Broadcaster Boycotts Eurovision 2027 for Second Year Over Israel's Participation

The Dutch public broadcaster NPO announced it will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, marking the second consecutive year it has withdrawn from the competition in protest of Israel's continued participation.اضافة اعلان

NPO said changes announced by the European Broadcasting Union to the contest's rules were insufficient to restore confidence in its independence and neutrality, citing the ongoing war in Gaza, the accompanying humanitarian crisis, and restrictions on press freedom.

The broadcaster said the participation of a country involved in a large-scale military conflict conflicts with its values around independence and humanitarian principles. NPO added that its boycott does not mean Dutch audiences will be denied the chance to watch the contest.

Eurovision is expected to air in the Netherlands through other broadcasters, as it did during the 2026 edition, which the Netherlands also sat out.

NPO first announced its withdrawal from the 2026 contest in December 2025, after the European Broadcasting Union decided to allow Israel to compete. Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland also withdrew from that edition.