Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, announced on Thursday that the country will once again refrain from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s involvement. RTE stated that they will not be sending a representative to the 2027 event held in Bulgaria and will not air the competition, citing concerns over the ongoing conflict and casualties in Gaza.
Ireland joins a group of countries, including the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain, that opted out of this year’s Eurovision in protest against Israel’s participation. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS recently declared its decision to boycott the upcoming contest as well, labeling Eurovision as a platform that fosters division.
AVROTROS justified their boycott by highlighting that the Eurovision Song Contest can no longer be viewed as impartial, given the presence of a participating country embroiled in a significant military conflict. The 2027 Eurovision is scheduled to be held in May in the Bulgarian coastal city of Burgas.
