Overview
- RTÉ confirmed on Thursday that it will not send an act to the 2027 contest in Burgas, Bulgaria, and will not broadcast the show because of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and limits on independent reporting.
- Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has already announced it will skip 2027, saying the contest can no longer be considered neutral with a country involved in large‑scale fighting taking part.
- The European Broadcasting Union said it regrets RTÉ’s decision, will stay in dialogue with boycotting broadcasters, and in August adopted a rule barring countries engaged in armed conflict from hosting future contests.
- Protests and security concerns have marked recent contests and viewership fell to 132 million in 2026, 34 million fewer than 2025, while five broadcasters skipped the 2026 show in protest of Israel’s participation.
- The withdrawals leave logistical and reputational questions for Burgas 2027 and raise the prospect of further pullouts, forcing public broadcasters to weigh ethical concerns about the war against duty to audiences and artists.