Overview
- EBU members opted against a separate exclusion vote in Geneva and affirmed a rule package that keeps Israel eligible to compete in Vienna.
- AVROTROS (Netherlands), RTVE (Spain) and RTÉ (Ireland) announced they will not take part, while broadcasters in Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Iceland are weighing their positions.
- Reforms reinstate professional juries in the semi‑finals, cut the maximum public votes per person from 20 to 10 and tighten limits on government‑linked or large‑scale promotional campaigns.
- Spain’s absence is especially consequential as a Big Five funder, raising questions about financing and reach for the 70th contest.
- Austria’s ORF and Vienna officials criticized the boycotts and urged focus on artists, as Israel’s President Isaac Herzog welcomed the decision; the final participant list is due by year’s end for the May 2026 contest in Vienna.