Ireland has decided to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year due to Israel’s involvement, as announced by the country’s national broadcaster, RTE. The decision comes in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with RTE confirming that Ireland will not participate in the 2027 competition in Bulgaria and will not air the event.
Alongside Ireland, four other countries – the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain – also abstained from participating in Eurovision this year to express their opposition to Israel’s presence in the music contest. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS recently declared its intention to join the boycott next year, citing Eurovision as a platform that fosters division.
AVROTROS emphasized that the Eurovision Song Contest can no longer be seen as impartial, particularly with a participating nation embroiled in a significant military conflict. The upcoming competition is scheduled to be held in May in the Bulgarian coastal city of Burgas.