The RTP announced on Thursday that it “voted in favor of changing the rules” of the Eurovision Song Contest, which included the participation of Israel, and will take part in next year’s edition.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, RTP stated that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) General Assembly voted this afternoon “on amending the voting rules of the Eurovision Song Contest” to “enhance trust and transparency and ensure the event’s neutrality.”
“RTP, like the vast majority of member countries, voted in favor of rule changes enabling countries to participate in the next Eurovision Song Contest edition with greater confidence in the voting results,” it reads.
Thus, “based on this EBU decision, the owner of the Eurovision Song Contest, RTP will participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest edition in Vienna, Austria.”
This afternoon, the EBU announced members voted in a secret ballot on whether they were “satisfied with the new measures and safeguards announced last month, without voting on next year’s event participation.”
“The great majority agreed that no new vote on participation was necessary and that the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest should proceed as planned with additional safeguards in place,” the statement reads.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) General Assembly confirmed on Thursday that Israel will participate in Eurovision in 2026. Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia have already announced they will not participate in the competition.
Márcia Guímaro Rodrigues | 17:26 – 04/12/2025
It should be noted that the new rules include a reduction in public votes and the return of juries in the semifinals aimed at “enhancing trust, transparency, and public engagement” in the event.
“The changes come following an extensive consultation process with EBU members [including RTP] after the 2025 Festival,” explained the organization last month.
Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia Announce Boycott
This Thursday, RTVE fulfilled its months-old threat and announced Spain’s withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest.
The public broadcaster of the Netherlands, AVROTROS, has also announced it “will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.”
“Considering all aspects, AVROTROS concludes that participation under current circumstances is incompatible with the crucial public values for us,” the broadcaster announced on its website.
Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTE, announced it “will neither participate nor broadcast next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, following the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) confirmation today that Israel may participate.”
From Slovenia, RTVSLO revealed it “will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Israeli President Affirms Country “Deserves to Be Represented on Every Stage in the World”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed Israel’s opportunity to continue participating in Eurovision, stating that his country “deserves to be represented on every stage worldwide.”
“I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in Eurovision, and I hope the competition will continue to celebrate culture, music, international friendship, and cross-cultural understanding,” Isaac Herzog stated in a message posted on his X social media page.
Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world, a cause to which I am fully and actively committed. I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, and I hope that the competition will remain one that champions culture,…
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) December 4, 2025
Israel Finished Second in the 2026 Eurovision
It is recalled that in this year’s edition, Israel almost surpassed Austria, who won in the final moments of Eurovision.
Austria, with JJ and “Wasted Love,” received a total of 436 points: 258 points from the jury and 178 points from the public. Meanwhile, Israel, with Yuval Raphael and “New Day Will Rise,” accumulated 357 points, with 60 from the jury and 297 from the public.
The next Eurovision Song Contest edition will be held in Vienna, Austria, with the semifinals scheduled for May 12 and 14. The grand final will take place on May 16, 2026.
[Updated at 19h01]
