The Netherlands will not take part in Eurovision 2027
Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has announced that it will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, which will be held in Bulgaria.
As 1news.az reports citing AVROTROS, the broadcaster believes that the rule changes recently adopted by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) do not provide sufficient guarantees for restoring the independent and neutral character of the contest.
AVROTROS stated that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have too strong an influence on the contest and have led to a deep rift around it. The broadcaster also expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and restrictions on press freedom.
AVROTROS Director General Taco Zimmerman said that Eurovision was originally created to bring people and countries together, but international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest.
According to him, as a result the contest has turned into a “platform for division”: “We remain true to our values, even if that means declining to take part in an event that is very dear to us.”
At the same time, the final decision regarding the Netherlands' participation in Eurovision 2027 has not yet been definitively made. AVROTROS has handed over responsibility for the country's participation to the Dutch public broadcaster NPO, which must now determine further steps.
To recall, the Netherlands also did not take part in Eurovision 2026. At that time, AVROTROS withdrew from participation amid the EBU's decision to allow Israel into the contest.
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