“Slovenia, along with Spain, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Turkey, Algeria, and Iceland, requested a secret vote on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, but this did not take place,” stated the Slovenian broadcaster, highlighting that the votes were not secret.

The broadcaster noted that its board president, Natalija Gorscak, reminded in Geneva today that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected the Russian representative’s participation following the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and now hesitates to reject Israel.

“Our message is: we will not participate if Israel is present. On behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza,” Gorscak concluded in her address to the EBU General Assembly today.

RTV recalled that, like other European public broadcasters such as those of Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, it had previously warned of boycotting next year’s contest, organized by Austria, if Israel were allowed to compete.

Public televisions from Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands also confirmed their withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest.

“RTVE withdraws from Eurovision,” reads a statement from the Spanish public station explaining that it will not broadcast the final of the 2026 contest, scheduled for May 16 in Vienna, nor the semifinals, scheduled for May 12 and 14.

“The RTVE Board of Directors agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel were part of it,” the Spanish station recalls in the same statement.

Spain is the first country from the “Big 5” group to announce this boycott. The “Big 5” consists of the public broadcasters contributing more funds to the European Broadcasting Union and thus to the organization of the Eurovision Song Contest.

The “Big 5” are Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, with their songs having direct access to the final at each festival edition.

Additionally, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced in a statement that “it will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.”

AVROTROS highlights “the violation of universal values like humanity and freedom of the press” in the Palestinian territory of Gaza by Israel in the past year, “as well as political interference during the previous Eurovision Song Contest edition,” considering that “it crossed the line.”

The Irish public television RTÉ also announced it will neither participate nor broadcast next year’s festival.

“After today’s EBU Winter General Assembly in Geneva, where Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 was confirmed, RTÉ’s position remains unchanged. RTÉ will not participate in or broadcast the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest,” reads the statement published by the public broadcaster.

The General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed on Thursday that Israel will participate in Eurovision 2026. Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia have already announced they will not partake in the competition.

Márcia Guímaro Rodrigues | 17:26 – 04/12/2025

Israel may participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, if it chooses, as decided today during the European Broadcasting Union’s general assembly in Switzerland.

According to an EBU (or UER, in its English acronym) statement, “all EBU members wishing to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agreeing to abide by the new rules are eligible to take part.”

EBU members, public stations from various European countries, voted today in a secret ballot on whether they were satisfied enough with the new measures and safeguards announced last month, without voting on next year’s participation.

“The vast majority agreed that a new participation vote was unnecessary and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with additional safeguards in place,” the statement reads.

Following today’s vote, public stations from various countries are expected to confirm their participation in the 2026 edition.

According to the EBU, “the complete list of participants for the 70th-anniversary edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will be announced before Christmas.”

RTP announces Portugal will participate in Eurovision

RTP – Rádio e Televisão de Portugal confirmed today its participation in the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest after changes to the contest’s voting rules.

In a statement, the Portuguese public television explains that the European Broadcasting Union’s general assembly (EBU or UER, in its English acronym) voted today to “amend the voting rules of the Eurovision Song Contest” in 2025 to “enhance trust and transparency and ensure the event’s neutrality.”

The new rules were approved by the majority of EBU member countries, including RTP, which voted in favor, considering that “they allow countries to participate in the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with a greater degree of confidence in the voting results.”

RTP announced that “it voted in favor of the rule changes” of the Eurovision Song Contest, which allowed for Israel’s participation, confirming that Portugal will take part in the competition in 2026.

Márcia Guímaro Rodrigues | 18:44 – 04/12/2025