Netherlands boycotts Eurovision for second year in a row amid changes to contest rules

The Netherlands has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year, with Dutch public service broadcaster Avrotros announcing on Monday that it will not take part in the 2027 edition. The decision follows the country's boycott of this year's competition in Vienna, where it joined Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia in refusing to participate over Israel's continued involvement amid the conflict in Gaza. Avrotros pointed to "humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom" as factors behind its stance. "Avrotros will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 because the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict," the broadcaster said in a statement. Several countries boycotted the Eurovision Song Contest last year over Israel's participation | GETTY The broadcaster argued that Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions were deeply fracturing the competition. Over the preceding year, Avrotros had urged the European Broadcasting Union to introduce clear, transparent criteria governing the participation of nations engaged in military conflicts, but said recent EBU reforms fell short of restoring confidence in the contest's independence. Avrotros director-general Taco Zimmerman said: "The Eurovision Song Contest was originally created to bring people and countries together. "It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character." Dutch singer Claude Kiambe, known as Claude, representing the Netherlands with the song C'est La Vie performs during the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 | GETTY He described the competition as having "become a platform for division," adding that the broadcaster remained guided by its values "even when that means stepping away from an event that is very close to our hearts." "That is painful as we would have very much liked to be part of the contest again next year," Mr Zimmerman said. Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green expressed disappointment at the Dutch broadcaster's decision but acknowledged its right to make the choice. "We regret Avrotros's decision to no longer participate in the Eurovision Song Contest but understand their choice and respect the views of our member broadcasters," Green said. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Hayden Panettiere's mother opens up on 36-year-old's death as she denies claims made by actress ITV Big Brother star flooded with support as she shows off 4st weight loss after reality TV stint Noel and Liam Gallagher 'force' BBC to take down 'car crash' Wonderwall tribute: 'Embarrassing!' The Netherlands also boycotted last year's show | GETTY He reaffirmed the contest's mission as a unifying cultural event, stating it had "always been a place to bring people together, celebrate diverse communities and show that a better world is possible, even in the most difficult times." Mr Green confirmed that organisers would pursue discussions with NPO, the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep umbrella body overseeing Dutch public service media, to explore whether an alternative broadcaster might represent the country at next year's competition. "We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest," he added. Protests marked this year's Vienna contest, with the largest being the No Stage For Genocide demonstration organised by Palestine Solidarity Austria at Venediger Au, which drew hundreds of attendees. It was recently announced the Eurovision Song Contest will change its rules from 2027 | GETTY Amnesty International condemned the EBU's refusal to suspend Israel as "cowardice" and a "blatant double standard," noting the organisation had barred Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier this month, Eurovision introduced a rule preventing countries involved in "armed conflict" or a "sensitive geopolitical situation" from hosting the contest, though participation itself was not prohibited. The 2027 competition will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria, after Bulgarian entrant Dara triumphed at this year's event with her song Bangaranga. Israel's Noam Bettan placed second. The Netherlands, whose Eurovision victories are surpassed only by Ireland and Sweden, last won in 2019. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter