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EBU Clears Israel for Eurovision 2026 as Spain, Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia Boycott

Members backed voting reforms over an exclusion vote, triggering exits by broadcasters citing humanitarian concerns.

FILE - Singer Yuval Raphael, from Israel, holds the national flag during a dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, May 16, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
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Overview

  • At a Geneva general assembly, about 65% of delegates backed contest reforms and members declined a separate ballot on Israel’s eligibility for 2026.
  • The approved safeguards cut the maximum televotes per payment method from 20 to 10, expand professional juries to the semi-finals with roughly half the weight, and curb third‑party or government promotion.
  • Public broadcasters RTVE (Spain), AVROTROS (Netherlands), RTÉ (Ireland) and RTVSLO (Slovenia) announced withdrawals and, in some cases, said they will not broadcast the Vienna shows, describing their stance as a values-based response to the Gaza war.
  • The EBU said it is awaiting formal confirmations and will publish the final participant list before Christmas, while Iceland and Belgium plan decisions in the coming days.
  • Israel’s broadcaster KAN and President Isaac Herzog welcomed the outcome, as host ORF, the BBC and German broadcasters signaled support for Israel’s participation.