The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has moved forward its meeting to November to discuss and vote on Israel’s participation in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May in Vienna, Austria. This discussion was initially planned for December during the General Assembly.
In a letter sent to member countries and reported by the Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung, EBU President Delphine Ernotte stated that the Executive Board acknowledges “an unprecedented diversity of opinions” regarding the participation of the Israeli broadcaster KAN.
“The Board believes the Union upholds inclusion and open cultural dialogue reflecting the values of Public Broadcasting. However, the Board recognized that a consensual position on KAN’s participation could not be achieved,” Ernotte commented.
Highlighting that the EBU “has never faced a division like this,” the chairperson indicated that the Executive Board agreed that Israel’s participation “deserves a broader democratic basis for a decision, in which all members should have a say.”
To address this, an extraordinary General Assembly session will be held in early November “for members to vote on the issue of participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.”
Krone has published the letter sent on behalf of EBU President Ms. Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, confirming the meeting for early November.
“The Board agreed that this question merited a broader democratic basis for a decision, whereby all Members should be given a voice.” https://t.co/VREVQIsYwU pic.twitter.com/qAsnBYhUjA
— ESC Discord (@ESCdiscord) September 25, 2025
Several Countries Threaten to Withdraw from Eurovision if Israel Participates
In recent weeks, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain have joined Slovenia and Iceland in urging the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to expel the Middle Eastern country due to the offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Dutch state broadcaster, AVOTROS, declared that it “can no longer justify Israel’s participation given the current severe and ongoing human suffering in Gaza.”
Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTÉ, also stated that the country “will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel’s participation goes ahead.”
Spain recently declared its stance, with the RTVE Board of Directors announcing on Tuesday that it would boycott the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 if Israel participates.
“Spain will withdraw from Eurovision if Israel remains in the contest,” tweeted José Pablo López, president of RTVE, on the social network X.
Spain’s position is significant as it is the first of the ‘Big 5’ countries to announce a boycott. The ‘Big 5’ includes the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, whose public broadcasters contribute the largest funds to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and thus to the organization of the Eurovision Song Contest.
