Overview
- AVROTROS announced it will not enter the Netherlands in the May 15, 2027 Eurovision in Burgas, saying the contest has become a platform for division and that recent EBU measures do not rebuild trust.
- The broadcaster said its decision follows earlier boycotts over Israel's participation and concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and press freedom that led it to skip the 2026 contest.
- Eurovision organisers this month introduced a rule excluding any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the show, but AVROTROS said that change was insufficient to guarantee neutrality.
- The withdrawal returns responsibility for Dutch participation to the national public broadcaster NPO, a move AVROTROS called painful but necessary to remain consistent with its values.
- The dispute has already dented the contest's reach and reputation: five countries pulled out of Eurovision 2026 and global viewership fell to about 131 million, creating questions over future broadcaster participation and audience levels.