EBU’s Confirmation of Israel’s Participation Triggers Multi-Country Boycott
At its General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on December 4, 2025, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) formally approved the participation of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Vienna, Austria. This decision immediately caused a major stir among member states, with the public broadcasters of Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland promptly announcing their withdrawal from the next edition of the contest in protest.
New Rules Passed, But Controversy Remains Unresolved
During this assembly, the EBU did not hold a separate vote on Israel’s eligibility. Instead, the union passed a series of new rules aimed at preventing political interference and maintaining the contest’s neutrality. The motion was approved with 738 votes in favor, 264 against, and 120 abstentions. The new measures include reducing the paid voting limit from 20 to 10 votes, reinstating the professional jury system with a 50% weighting in the semi-finals, and strengthening the monitoring of voting irregularities. However, these measures failed to appease the concerns of some member countries.
Spain’s Stance: EBU’s Measures ‘Far from Sufficient’
Spain’s national broadcaster, RTVE, had already issued a warning before the assembly that Spain would not participate if Israel were allowed to compete. After the meeting, RTVE’s Secretary-General, Alfonso Morales, reiterated this position in his statement. He stated that although the EBU has made efforts to uphold the contest’s principles, ‘these measures are still not enough.’ Morales pointed out that given the situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s actions of using the contest for political ends, it has become difficult for the Eurovision Song Contest to maintain its cultural neutrality, and the union should not apply a ‘double standard’.
Joint Action by Three Countries and Impact on Broadcast
In step with Spain’s RTVE, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS and Irish broadcaster RTÉ also issued statements of withdrawal. All three countries have confirmed that they will not broadcast the semi-finals, scheduled for May 12 and 14, 2026, or the grand final on May 16, on their national channels. This means that audiences in these three countries will be unable to watch that year’s contest through official channels.
