A new controversy appears to be brewing around the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. Another country has decided to boycott the competition. The Netherlands will not take part in next year’s contest.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said it no longer considers the music event sufficiently neutral and does not see any guarantees in the EBU’s new rules that could change the situation. According to the broadcaster, international politics is increasingly finding its way into a competition that has traditionally been presented as a musical event that brings Europe together.

«There is no denying that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the competition, undermining its neutral character. As a result, the Eurovision Song Contest has become a platform for division», AVROTROS said in a statement.

The Netherlands’ main concern is Israel’s participation against the backdrop of the war in Gaza. Over the past year, the country has called on the European Broadcasting Union to establish clear rules for countries involved in military conflicts.

The EBU partially responded to these demands and announced changes. However, the Netherlands considers them insufficient.

«The changes recently announced by the EBU do not provide sufficient assurance that the independent and neutral nature of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored», AVROTROS stressed.

And this is not the first boycott: Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland have also joined the move.

As a reminder, the next contest is due to take place in Bulgaria. This year, singer DARA brought the victory to the country.

Photo: Instagram @eurovision