4 countries boycott Eurovision over Israeli inclusion

Israel’s violent war on Gaza has taken center stage over the last two years after pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated against Israel outside the last two Eurovision contests in Basel, Switzerland, in May and Malmö, Sweden, in 2024. Russia was expelled from Eurovision in 2022 for its attack on Ukraine, sparking criticism of a double standard. Nearly every international human rights group has deemed Israel’s war on Gaza to be a genocide, but not Russia’s war on Ukraine.

According to the United Nations, “Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel”

Public broadcasters from all four boycotting nations have made statements, with Spain’s broadcaster stating “The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and the approval of the peace process, and the use of the contest for political goals by Israel, make it increasingly difficult to keep Eurovision a neutral cultural event,” Irelands national broadcasting service, RTE stated that allowing Israel to compete “remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza”. Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said that Israel’s participation in the competition “is no longer compatible with the responsibility we bear as a public broadcaster.” 

The boycott risks damaging Eurovision’s reputation as a competition that acts outside of politics, but like the Olympics, countries are questioning whether inclusion in Eurovision should be a right or a privilege that can be lost. There is also the financial prospect – Eurovision is incredibly profitable for public broadcasters, at a time when public broadcasters are struggling across the globe. A boycott by some European countries will have implications for viewership for the boycotting countries at a time when many broadcasters are under financial pressure from government funding cuts and the advent of social media. Additionally, if Eurovision becomes politicized, the viewers could begin to boycott the competition, damaging profits for all broadcasters involved.

The Spain and Ireland boycotts will be especially noticeable and should impact viewer ratings globally. Spain is one of the ‘Big Five’ – the five largest countries that contribute to the content, and Ireland shares the record for most Eurovision wins with seven. Eurovision 2026, the 70^th instalment of the competition, is slated to run from May 12 to 16 in Vienna, Austria. It is unclear how many countries will be participating. Overshadowed by Israel’s controversial inclusion, Eurovision 2026 will also see the return of three countries – Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania after their brief absence due to financial or artistic reasons.