AVROTROS to boycott Eurovision 2027 over neutrality concerns

The Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has announced it will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, citing a loss of neutrality within the competition. The decision stems from the continued participation of Israel, a country involved in major military conflict, which AVROTROS claims undermines the contest's impartial character.

In a statement, AVROTROS noted that while they requested the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) establish transparent rules regarding the participation of countries involved in military conflicts, the recent changes announced by the EBU failed to restore confidence in the contest's independence. The broadcaster stated that participating under current conditions would be incompatible with its values of reliability, independence, and humanity, specifically citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

AVROTROS General Manager Taco Zimmerman remarked that the contest, originally intended to unite nations, has increasingly become a platform for division due to international conflicts. The broadcaster has informed the Dutch public broadcasting association, NPO, of its decision. The NPO will determine whether the Netherlands will participate in 2027 through a different broadcaster.