Ireland has announced its decision to boycott the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria for the second consecutive year due to Israel’s involvement, as confirmed by the country’s national broadcaster, RTE. The decision comes in response to what RTE describes as the “tragic and continuous loss of lives in Gaza.” Ireland joins the ranks of five other countries, including the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain, who also chose to skip this year’s Eurovision in protest against Israel’s participation in the music competition.
Following suit, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS declared its intention to boycott next year’s Eurovision, citing the event as a “platform for discord.” AVROTROS highlighted that the Eurovision Song Contest can no longer be viewed as impartial, especially with a participating nation engaged in a significant military conflict. The 2027 Eurovision is scheduled to be held in May in the coastal city of Burgas in Bulgaria.