Ireland boycotts Eurovision for second year over Gaza crisis

Why is Ireland boycotting?

Ireland is pulling out of the Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, with national broadcaster RTÉ saying it cannot justify participating while the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to rise.

RTÉ confirmed it will not send an entry to the 2027 competition in Bulgaria. In a statement, the broadcaster pointed to the "appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza" and a humanitarian crisis that "continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk."

Who else is pulling out?

The Irish broadcaster is not alone. Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS announced its own boycott of the 2027 event, labelling the music competition a "platform for division."

AVROTROS argued that Eurovision "can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict."

To keep the Netherlands in the competition, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, has opened talks with other Dutch television stations. Organisers hope another public broadcaster will agree to represent the country.

How has the EBU responded?

Martin Green, the director of Eurovision, said he regretted RTÉ’s withdrawal but respected the decision.

"They remain a valued part of our family and will be missed," Green said, adding that the choice of whether to participate is made by national broadcasters on an annual basis.

The decisions by RTÉ and AVROTROS extend a pattern of political friction that has dogged the contest in recent years. For the 2026 contest, Ireland was one of five nations—alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Slovenia—that boycotted in protest of Israel's involvement.

In response to mounting criticism, the EBU has twice adjusted its rules to address the concerns of member stations. It previously curbed the number of public votes a single person could cast, following claims that Israel had run an organised campaign to boost its telephone vote. The union also announced that any country involved in an "armed conflict" or a "sensitive geopolitical situation" will be barred from hosting the event, even if its act wins the competition.

Where is the 2027 contest being held?

Despite the absences, planning for the 2027 contest is moving forward in Burgas, a Bulgarian city on the Black Sea coast. Bulgaria won the hosting rights after its singer DARA won the 2026 contest in Vienna with the song "Bangaranga."

The semi-finals are scheduled for 11 and 13 May 2027, with the grand final taking place at the Arena Burgas on 15 May.

Israel has competed in Eurovision since 1973. It launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led fighters killed roughly 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel.

Since then, more than 73,780 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry, with figures considered reliable by the UN. Though a ceasefire was agreed in October 2025, Gaza's health ministry reports that Israeli strikes have continued, killing an additional 1,369 people since the truce officially began.