Dutch pull out of 'no longer neutral' Eurovision
The Netherlands will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria, the state broadcaster has said, citing divisions over the situation in Gaza. It's the second time the country is boycotting the event.
The Dutch public broadcaster, Avrotros, announced on Monday that the Netherlands will not be participating in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) due to a lack of neutrality in the event. This decision marks the biggest political boycott in Eurovision history, as the Netherlands joins Spain, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia in boycotting the contest in protest of Israel's participation.
The war in Gaza has made the Eurovision no longer neutral, according to Avrotros Director-General Taco Zimmerman, who stated that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest and undermining its neutral character. Avrotros cited new rules from Eurovision organizers that bar countries involved in armed conflicts from hosting the event, but they do not provide enough confidence that the contest's independent and neutral character has been restored.
The Netherlands, which has won the contest five times, including most recently in 2019, expressed disappointment at their withdrawal. Avrotros emphasized that as a public broadcaster, they remain committed to their values and will continue to uphold them, even if it means stepping away from an event they care deeply about.
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