Dutch state broadcaster pulls out of 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, citing Gaza war

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, it announced on Monday, due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

According to AVROTROS Director-General Taco Zimmerman, "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."

The broadcaster noted that it had returned the responsibility for Dutch participation in the Eurovision to the NPO, an umbrella organization which handles the Dutch public broadcasting system, and that the NPO would determine whether another state broadcaster would take over the role of broadcasting the Eurovision.

AVROTROS added that it needed a clear framework to assess which countries involved in military conflicts would be allowed to participate in the competition.

"As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values," Zimmerman stated. "They guide us in everything we do, 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.”