The Eurovision boycott divides Europe after the decision on Israel

The Eurovision Song Contest faces one of the biggest shocks in its recent history following the decision by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to to keep Israel in the 2026 editionThe resolution, adopted at a general assembly in Geneva, has provoked a open boycott by several European countries and has revealed a deep rift in the Eurovision community.

Within hours, the public television stations of Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia They confirmed that they will not participate in the Vienna festival nor will they broadcast it on their channels.The controversy revolves not only around the war in Gaza, but also around accusations of political interference and orchestrated voting campaigns in favor of Israel, which has called into question the neutrality of the contest.

The decision in Geneva: Israel remains in Eurovision 2026

The EBU assembly, held at the organization's headquarters in Geneva, The main topic of the day was the future of Israel at Eurovision 2026, after months of pressure from several public television stations and street protests over the military offensive in Gaza and the high number of civilian casualties.

Far from voting directly on whether or not to exclude Israel, EBU members were called upon to express their opinion in a secret ballot on a package of new rules intended to reinforce the impartiality of the voting system. The EBU leadership had explicitly linked the approval of these safeguards to forgoing any specific vote on Israeli participation.

According to the EBU itself, a “vast majority” of the delegates He supported the measures and considered that it was not necessary to open a further debate on Israel's presence.Some internal reports mention around 65% of votes in favor, versus 23% against and a smaller percentage of abstentions, which consolidated the organization's position.

With that result, the EBU proclaimed that “All members who wish to participate in Eurovision 2026 and accept the new rules are eligible to do so.”In practice, the decision secured Israel's invitation to compete in Vienna and left national broadcasters with a clear choice: accept the new framework or abandon the festival.

Martin Green, the festival's director, defended the discussion, saying it had been "frank and emotional," but insisted that the competition It should not become “political theater” and had to preserve a certain appearance of neutrality, although he admitted that the international context was making the balance increasingly complicated.

The new rules: less political influence and changes in voting.

The package approved in Geneva includes a series of changes with which the EBU is trying to respond to criticisms about alleged coordinated voting campaignsespecially those involving governments or public institutions.

Among the most notable measures, the number of votes each viewer can cast is limited, going from twenty to a maximum of 10 supports per person, with the aim of reducing the impact of mass mobilizations orchestrated from the same country or political environment.

Furthermore, the EBU pledged to strengthen detection systems for fraudulent or coordinated votingAdditional filters will be applied when anomalous participation patterns are detected. In parallel, it was agreed to reinstate expanded professional juries for the semifinals, reintroducing a technical counterweight to televoting.

The organization did not explicitly mention Israel in the text of the reforms, but made it clear that the rules aim to prevent “disproportionate promotion,” especially when backed by state apparatuses or official campaigns. This point directly addresses suspicions that the Israeli government may have actively involved in promoting his candidacy in recent editions.

In her official statement, EBU President Delphine Ernotte Cunci emphasized that the changes aim to “to strengthen the trust, transparency and neutrality of the event”, and thanked the public broadcasters for the “respectful and constructive” tone of the debate, even though the outcome has left the organization more divided than ever.

Spain leads the boycott and breaks with its 'Big Five' status

The strongest reaction came from Spain. The public broadcaster RTVE, one of the festival's five major funders, confirmed that withdraws from participating in and broadcasting Eurovision 2026This is especially symbolic as it is a member of the so-called "Big Five" along with France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

RTVE had been leading the call for a [unclear - possibly "new public broadcaster"] for weeks, along with other television stations. specific and secret vote Regarding Israel's continued participation in the competition, the EBU presidency's refusal to accept this agenda item completely shattered the confidence of the Spanish delegation, which denounced political and commercial pressures in the process.

In an internal memo, the RTVE board of directors recalled that it had already previously approved condition Spain's presence The exclusion of Israel meant that, once their participation was confirmed, the withdrawal was practically automatic. The organization also confirmed that it will not broadcast the final or the semifinals on free-to-air television.

The president of RTVE, José Pablo López, was particularly critical and even stated on social media that what happened at the assembly demonstrated that Eurovision “is not simply a music competition”but rather a “fractured” festival where geopolitical interests are increasingly playing a role. His statements reflect the growing unease within the Spanish delegation after several months of failed negotiations.

The Spanish government itself aligned itself with the public broadcaster's decision. The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, openly supported the boycott, arguing that “Israel cannot be whitewashed in the face of a possible genocide in Gaza” and arguing that culture must stand on the side of peace and human rights, even if that means giving up the visibility and impact of the festival.

Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia join the withdrawal

Spain has not been left alone. Almost simultaneously, the public television stations of Ireland (RTÉ), the Netherlands (Avrotros) and Slovenia (RTV Slovenia) They announced their withdrawal from the Vienna edition as soon as it became known that there would be no vote on the exclusion of Israel.

RTÉ described Ireland's participation as “morally unacceptable” Given the magnitude of the tragedy in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that, according to the network, continues to endanger the lives of thousands of civilians, Irish television announced that it will not only not send an artist, but will also forgo broadcasting the festival.

From the Netherlands, Avrotros explained that his decision came after a “careful consultation process” with various stakeholders. The broadcaster concluded that, under the current circumstances, continuing to participate in the contest directly conflicted with its public service values ​​and the expectations of part of its audience.

Slovenia's position was even more explicit in ethical terms. RTV Slovenia reiterated that its withdrawal comes “in the name of the thousands of children killed in Gaza” He stressed that, as a public service, it has a duty to defend principles of peace, equality and respect, demanding that the same rules be applied equally to all EBU member countries.

These three television networks had already been rumored during the summer as the first to seriously consider a boycott, and they were part of a bloc of up to eight countries that backed the call for a specific vote on Israel. The swift release of their statements after the assembly confirmed that The boycott option was prepared in advance in case their demands are not successful.

A fractured Eurovision: support for Israel and defense of neutrality

While some countries are opting for a boycott, others have come out in defense of Israel's presence and the EBU's commitment to maintaining the competition as a supposedly neutral cultural spacealthough increasingly questioned.

Among the strongest supporters is Germany. Its public broadcaster, ARD/SWR, had already warned that it would consider withdrawing from Eurovision if Israel were expelled. Following the assembly in Geneva, the network celebrated the decision and announced that is preparing to participate in Viennainsisting that the festival must remain a celebration of cultural diversity and solidarity.

The German Minister of State for Culture himself, Wolfram Weimer, argued that “Israel belongs to Eurovision like Germany belongs to Europe”This stands in stark contrast to the stance of the television networks that are advocating for a boycott. Berlin interprets the exclusion as a measure that would transform the competition into an instrument of political sanctions, something they consider incompatible with its founding principles.

The Nordic countries have also played a key role. Their public television networks Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland They issued a joint statement supporting the reforms to the voting system and the EBU's decision to tackle the "critical deficiencies" detected in recent years.

These networks stressed that they will continue to support the festival, although they advocated for maintaining a ongoing dialogue on how to protect credibility of the competition in the future. Iceland, despite signing the text, has chosen to defer its final decision on participation until a meeting of its council, aware of the internal divisions that the issue generates.

Austria, the host country for the 2026 edition following its representative's victory, has also defended Israel's continued participation. From Vienna, they insist that Eurovision should not be used as a tool of punishment.European partners are encouraged to work together through diplomatic channels to improve the situation in the Middle East, without breaking cultural ties.

Impact on the public in Spain and Europe

For the Spanish audience, the RTVE boycott represents a significant shift. Barring a last-minute change, There will be no Spanish representative in ViennaNor will one of the most watched television events of the year on the continent, which usually attracts more than 150 million viewers, be broadcast on free-to-air television.

The decision leaves the immediate future of projects associated with the festival up in the air, such as the national selection processes or the involvement of the Spanish music industry in the Eurovision environment. It also raises questions about Spain's influence within the EBU, where until now it has been one of the contest's financial and organizational pillars.

In other European markets, the outlook is equally uncertain. In Ireland, part of the public and the artistic community had been calling for a clear stance on the Gaza war for months, and many have received the boycott as a sign of consistency with humanitarian values which they associate with public broadcasting. In the Netherlands and Slovenia, the social division is also evident, with some voices applauding the withdrawal and others lamenting the loss of the international platform that Eurovision offers.

At the same time, in places like Germany and Austria, there are groups of supporters who celebrate Israel's continued presence, understanding that its exclusion would be a collective punishment of the population, not just the government. In Vienna, some citizens have argued that “People should not be deprived of participating in the decisions of their leaders.”while others express disappointment at the increasingly politicized turn of the festival.

Organizers, analysts, and fans agree that the Eurovision brand is going through one of the biggest crises of confidence of its history. Experts like Ben Robertson, from the specialized portal ESC Insight, believe that there has never been such a marked division between the EBU's own member broadcasters, which puts to the test the idea of ​​a contest "united by music".

In this context, the 70th edition of the contest, scheduled for Vienna in 2026, is shaping up to be a turning point. If things don't change, it will be marked by a boycott from several countries, by some new voting rules yet to be implemented and through an intense debate about the extent to which it is possible to separate music from politics in a global scenario so laden with symbolism.

With the withdrawals of Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia already confirmed, the support of Germany, the Nordic countries, and Austria for Israel's continued participation, and an EBU determined to defend the contest's neutrality through technical changes, the immediate future of Eurovision appears more uncertain than ever: The festival that was born to heal European wounds will have to prove whether it is still capable of uniting its own partners or whether the boycotts will mark a turning point in their history.