The Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros has announced its withdrawal from the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, stating that the competition can no longer be considered neutral while a participating nation is involved in a large-scale military conflict. The decision, released Monday, stems from a perceived lack of clarity from the event's organizers, the Eurovision Broadcasting Union (EBU), regarding the criteria for country participation.
Avrotros highlighted the severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza and ongoing restrictions on press freedom as factors contributing to increasing divisions surrounding the contest in recent years. While the EBU recently updated its rules to make a country involved in an armed conflict ineligible to host the following year if it wins, Avrotros expressed that these changes do not sufficiently restore the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Netherlands' withdrawal from the 2027 contest does not preclude participation by another Dutch public broadcaster, as the country has multiple such entities. Previously, the Netherlands boycotted the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden, after Israel was permitted to compete.
Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, stated that the EBU regrets Avrotros's decision but respects its views. He added that the EBU will continue discussions with NPO, the umbrella organization for Dutch public service media, concerning the possibility of another broadcaster representing the Netherlands. "We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest," Green said.