Spain has become the fifth European country to threaten withdrawal from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to compete, intensifying pressure on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. The decision by Spain's public broadcaster RTVE, approved by a majority vote at a board meeting Tuesday, cites Israel's military actions as incompatible with the event's values.
This follows similar stances from Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland, where broadcasters have conditioned participation on Israel's exclusion. As one of the contest's "Big Five" financial contributors—alongside France, Germany, Italy, and the UK—Spain's move carries significant weight, potentially disrupting the event's unity and finances.
The boycott threats stem from Israel's participation in the 2024 and 2025 contests, which drew widespread protests, including thousands demonstrating outside the 2025 venue in Basel, Switzerland. Israel's entrant, Yuval Raphael, performed "New Day Will Rise" amid boos and accusations of government interference in voting, echoing 2024's controversies around Eden Golan.
Over 70 former Eurovision artists signed an open letter in May 2025 urging Israel's ban, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly called for exclusion, drawing parallels to Russia's 2022 ouster after invading Ukraine. Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun reinforced this Monday, stating Spain "will not tolerate sporting and cultural events normalising genocide."
The EBU, which organises the apolitical contest, initiated consultations last week with members on managing "geopolitical tensions", allowing decisions by mid-December. Eurovision director Martin Green affirmed the body would "respect any decision broadcasters make" but emphasised the event's focus on public service media, not governments. Israel's Kan broadcaster has vowed to participate, rejecting marginalisation.
The 70th edition, hosted in Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle after Austria's JJ won 2025 with "Wasted Love", is slated for semifinals on May 12 and 14 and the finale on May 16, 2026. With 166 million viewers in 2025, the standoff risks fragmenting the global spectacle, highlighting cultural diplomacy's limits in conflict zones.
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